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(1685, 7, '2013-10-08 15:00:00', '2013-10-08 22:00:00', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Screen-Shot-2013-09-16-at-9.25.58-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1687" alt="Screen Shot 2013-09-16 at 9.25.58 AM" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Screen-Shot-2013-09-16-at-9.25.58-AM-290x290.png" width="290" height="290" /></a>Brenda Cabrera grew up wishing she could be anywhere but home. Her parents were divorced and her father, Roger, “fought for custody many times,” says Brenda. When she was 17 her father was finally successful, and Brenda went to live with him and her stepmother, Elvia, and stepbrother, Yandell. She had the family she longed for all those years.\r\n\r\nAfter Brenda graduated from high school, she was pretty sure she wanted to join the military. But, she and Elvia had grown so close that Elvia couldn’t bear the thought of Brenda leaving home.\r\n\r\n“She was the mother-figure in my life,” says Brenda. “And she was the one who motivated me, gave me confidence,” since her dad worked long hours and was away from home so much. “She kept telling me, ‘You need a brighter future.’”\r\n\r\nAlways interested in the medical field and with Elvia’s excitement for her to explore it, Brenda found herself looking at SJVC’s Medical Assisting program in Temecula last September. Elvia whispered encouragement every step of the way.\r\n\r\nBefore Brenda could enroll, Elvia was killed in a car accident.\r\n\r\nGrieving and floundering without her strongest supporter, Brenda enrolled and began the MA program in October, just a month after her family’s devastating loss.\r\n\r\n“I really didn’t want to be in school and wasn’t planning on sticking around,” says Brenda. But then, two very important things happened. First, she fell in love with her <a title="medical programs page" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-programs" target="_blank">medical studies</a>.\r\n\r\n“I really connected with the hands-on activities, but thought I’d be too scared to do some of them,” says Brenda. “But, I didn’t shy away and just got in there and did the blood draws and injections.” She surprised herself and felt her fears melt away, “especially after my teacher looked at me and said, ‘That’s perfect; you’re a natural,’” says Brenda, who promptly started assisting other students.\r\n\r\nThe second thing that made it possible for Brenda to stick with her decision to get an education was meeting four new friends who, together, changed everything for her.\r\n\r\nShe found Elvia’s voice of love and support in these young women. Christian, Jenny, Eve and Adi are Brenda’s go-to when self-doubt creeps into her psyche.\r\n\r\n“I’m a very religious person and I believe she (Elvia) put them in my path so I could remember her words,” says Brenda. “I see her qualities in them and they say the things she always said.”\r\n\r\nToday, life is full for Brenda. She is feeling strong. At home she does all she can to help take care of her dad and little brother. At school she tries to touch as many lives as she can in a way that hers was touched. It doesn’t go unnoticed.\r\n\r\n“As a federal work study student tutor, she has walked many of her fellow students thought the math and English study plans with a gentle hand,” says instructor Jessica Knight. “Brenda is one of those special people who can add insight to your life or teach a lesson that you may not have understood before.”\r\n\r\nBrenda graduates in December and knows she will miss so much from her experience at <a title="medical assisting campus" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula" target="_blank">SJVC Temecula</a> – especially her four new friends.\r\n\r\n“We’ve talked about it and I know if we don’t get to see each other again, I am grateful for what they gave to me and I’ll take it with me,” says Brenda.\r\n\r\nBut Brenda will always remember the hard place she was in and how she got out.\r\n\r\n“I see people like that here and I’ll stop and ask if they want to talk,” she says. “Maybe I can help them out, if only to just have a better day. Share what’s been given to you. You know, pass it along.”', 'Medical Assisting Student Brenda on school, family and loss', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'medical-assisting-student-brenda-on-school-family-and-loss', '', '', '2013-09-18 17:05:40', '2013-09-18 17:05:40', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1685', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(9133, 7, '2011-10-18 17:51:16', '2011-10-19 00:51:16', '<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Eric-Gormley-MA-First-Place-student-writer-of-the-year1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-122" title="Eric Gormley-MA First Place student writer of the year" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Eric-Gormley-MA-First-Place-student-writer-of-the-year1-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="231" /></a>Eric Gormley\nCAMA – Clinical and Administrative Assistant</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong>Socialized Medicine - A Gift or a Curse?</strong></p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">For those of us who wonder about our current programs of healthcare, we often question whether or not there is a better alternative. Our government has been attempting to make health care less expensive for our country, and it is my opinion that socialized medicine could indeed aid us in spending less while making it easier on Americans. Socialized medicine is a word often used in theUnited Statesto refer to many different kinds of public health care. It represents any system of medical care that is publicly financed, government administered, or both, though use of this word is sometimes wrong due to the large amount of confusion on what it means exactly.</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong>What is Socialized Medicine?</strong></p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Socialized Medicine was the best definitive word for officials to give the term in theU.S.The words are associated simply because of the nature of how our country believes it will indeed affect us economically and also will affect our health care system. (Goodman, 2009) The word association with socialism continues to be used against both sides of the argument to make negative feelings towards public control of the health care system in that country. The main example where there are government employees as health care workers is in the of British National Health Service, but systems like this one operate  in other countries as well including Finland, Spain and Cuba. (Brochu, 2010) TheUnited States'' Veterans Health Administration and the U.S. Army Medical Department also fall under the same category, but are not associated with the term. The U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs,Canada''s Medicare system, theUnited Kingdom''s NHS general practitioner and dental services are systems where health care is delivered by private business with percentages or complete government funding. Most industrialized countries, and many smaller, developing countries have some form of public funded health care with coverage for all as their main goal. TheUnited Statesis the only wealthy nation that does not provide universal health care.</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong>Why is Socialized Medicine a Good Idea?</strong></p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">From the outside glancing in on socialized medicine it causes disturbances on a very touchy subject. Healthcare problems can cause disturbances that we are not really prepared for as a nation. It could start a mass panic for Americans. That is because we are indeed ignorant on the subject. However, most Americans have little to no understanding of universal health care. Not only that, they have never done the research themselves to see if it was better for them in any way. There are a few positives to bringing the European style of healthcare. One, <strong>you don''t pay to see a doctor</strong><strong>. </strong>Whether you''re treating a common cold or getting a surgical procedure, you will never pay any amount of money ever. And it truly may sound good, and it is very good, but it is also very sad if you are used to having the option of your insurance card or choosing with your insurance company over exactly what percentage of your bill it will cover for any given doctors visit. Two, <strong>the co-pays for prescriptions are much cheaper</strong><strong>. </strong>In fact, children''s prescriptions are almost always entirely free. Adults pay a set fee that is usually somewhere around six or seven pounds, or about $10 American dollars. Three, <strong>pharmacists play more of a triage role</strong><strong>.</strong> They have the capability to help diagnose a patient due to their stricter, in depth training. (Brochu, 2010) <strong> </strong>Pharmacists over in the U.K. work more like part doctors. They are not only equipped to treat minor problems including rashes, coughs, eye infections and stuff like that. They could take care of more problems than normal which would aid our current system to better serve the American people. More and more often, they offer advice on things like quitting smoking and losing weight as well as early screening for long-term problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Fourth, <strong>Doctors prescribe fewer drugs</strong><strong>.</strong> No matter what''s wrong with your child, the first question a doctor here will always ask is: "Does your child seem ill?" Basically, unless the kid has such a bad sickness that he or she can’t walk, and the chance of he or she getting worse is high, the rule of thumb is that they probably don''t need to be seen by a doctor. Fifth, doctors are paid per person, not per treatment. In the U.S., doctors are paid by the treatment. This creates a powerful incentive to prescribe medication, if for no other reason than to feel that they''ve covered all of the bases. This causes the people to pay more for services, even if they cannot really afford it.  Under the NHS, in contrast, doctors are paid by the government according to the number of people they see. (Socialized Medicine, 2010) Sixth, you<strong> </strong><strong>take more responsibility for your own health. </strong>The standard critique of socialized medicine is that it''s the government -- not the individual -- that''s making decisions about our health. Seventh, <strong>you see fewer specialists</strong><strong>. </strong>Much like an HMO in the U.S., your first place to call in a U.K.-style system is always your general practitioner, who then refers you on to a specialist if the situation calls for it. The difference is that GPs in the U.K. treat a much wider range of problems than they do in the U.S. So, for example, in the U.S., any kind of women''s health issue is generally handled by an OB/GYN, while children generally see pediatricians. There, in contrast, your GP could theoretically give you a pap smear, tend to your son''s ear infection and treat your daughter''s asthma all in one visit. This type of health care system runs smoother, and is thus in some ways <em>more efficient </em>than the American one. (Socialized Medicine, 2010) Finally,<em> </em><strong>there is more after-hours coverage</strong><strong>. </strong>Most national health care systems make it much easier to see a doctor at night and on weekends. We have all been caught in that situation of having to wait to tend to our sickness, and until we can either afford it, or if we have a sick child on a Saturday night and weighing the costs; economic, emotional, and logistical of going to the emergency room or just taking our chances and waiting for a day to come that will be better to go on. If my child becomes ill on the weekend anywhere in theUnited Kingdom, I simply make an appointment with a local health care cooperative, and he or she can be seen day or night. (Brochu, 2010)</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">In the end, there are pros and cons to both systems, though I hope that this paper has helped the public understand the option is considerably less pressuring in working toward getting a betterAmericatomorrow. There must be a compromise between big business and the health care system before we can further our progress.</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">References</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Brochu, M. (n.d.) The Question of Socialized Medicine</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Retrieved from http://jmchar.people.wm.edu/Kin493/socmed.html</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Goodman, J (2009). Cato’s Letter – Five Myths of Socialized Medicine</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Retrieved from http://www.cato.org/pubs/catosletter/catosletterv3n1.pdf</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Socialized Medicine – pros and cons (2009)</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Retrieved from www.huliq.com/50811/socialized-medicine-pros-and-cons</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Socialized Medicine has a Good Side (2010)</p>\n<p style="text-align: left;">Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/2009/08/15/socialism-is-the-best-medicine.html</p>', 'Student Writer of the Year: Socialized Medicine - A Gift or a Curse?', '', 'private', 'open', 'open', '', 'student-writer-of-the-year-socialized-medicine-a-gift-or-a-curse', '', '', '2011-10-18 17:51:16', '2011-10-19 00:51:16', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=118', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(125, 7, '2011-10-21 15:28:28', '2011-10-21 22:28:28', 'San Joaquin Valley College’s <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno</a> campus is hoping to make a big dent in the 2,100 seats available at Warnor’s Theatre on Sat., Nov. 5th at 5:00 PM for the live performance of Shep’s Christmas Wish. This year’s Toys for Tots theatrical fundraiser, sponsored by the United Way and Community Partners, promises to be wonderful family entertainment and includes a street faire for kids to age twelve, from 3:30-4:30 PM in front of the theatre.\n\nAs a 2011 United Way sponsor,<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu"> SJVC </a>is taking a lead role in this musical-comedy stage production, with Sue Smilie-Janecek as stage manager and Fresno Campus Director, Dr. John Swiger, projecting – if not leading man material – excellent 2-line eloquence. “I’m active in the United Way Cabinet,” says Dr. Swiger, “so taking part in this year’s play is a natural outcropping of our campus’s commitment of support. And if my brief appearance in this delightful play helps to spur interest from our campus to attend, I am happy to offer my meager thespian services.” He is a gentleman, a scholar, as well as a budding stage talent, it seems.\n\nThe play, written by Joe W. Ozier, centers on a young Marine named Dan, his dog, Shep, and their search to find a home, family and love. Plot twists and turns take the duo through tragedy and triumph – and not without a lot of spirited singing, heartfelt dialogue and dancing dogs. Dancing dogs? That, alone, is worth the price of admission – which is $15. General Admission and $50. for a VIP pass, which includes premium seating, food and drinks at an after-party celebration at Frank’s Place in the Warnor’s Complex and exciting door prizes, including a $3,000. gold and diamond necklace. Those who are able are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to contribute to Toys for Tots.\n\nSue Smilie-Janecek has made her commitment to this production a labor of love. She has enjoyed every aspect of involvement from assisting the cast with their costumes and painting sets, to coordinating rehearsal schedules. She is also delighted that her good friend, Joe Ozier, is the writing talent behind this year’s play; and she is certain that all who attend will enjoy its performance and come away with good feelings about its message. “The show will touch your heart and make you laugh – all at the same time,” says Sue.\n\n100% of every ticket sold will go to the Toys for Tots program in Fresno County. “We hope to raise over $30,000 with this year’s performance,” says Sue, who is also hoping for a strong turnout of SJVC staff, faculty and students.\n\nWinter Wonderland Street Faire\nWarnor’s Center for Performing Arts – 1400 Fulton St.\n3:30 – 4:30 PM\nFree games, prizes, holiday decorations, meet actors in storybook characters\n\nShep’s Christmas Wish\n5:00 PM Curtain Up (Doors open at 4:00 PM)\n\nTickets are available at unitedwayfresno.org, warnors.org, or call Melissa at 559/243-3663.', 'Fresno Campus Director Takes the Stage', '', 'private', 'open', 'open', '', 'fresno-campus-director-takes-the-stage', '', '', '2011-10-21 15:28:28', '2011-10-21 22:28:28', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=125', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(128, 7, '2011-11-02 21:34:25', '2011-11-03 04:34:25', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gg.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-129" title="gg" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gg-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Several students, faculty and staff welcomed members of the Board of Governors at the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield campus </a>this month for the Board of Governor’s meeting.  The students were thrilled at the opportunity and were able to lead tours of the campus after a time of mingling and talking with members of the board.\n\n“When I enrolled, I never thought I would get to meet the owners of the school or the Board,” said Sadie Spring, a Therapeutic Massage student.  “It was a great experience I hope to be able to do again.”  Sadie was impressed with how eager all the board members were to speak with the students.   Sadie especially enjoyed speaking with Board member Nina Clancy and Nina’s enthusiasm in spending time with students.\n\n<a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Medical Assisting</a> student and ASB president Ana Cisneros mentioned she didn’t know what the Board of Governors was at first and was really nervous to meet them.  However, she also said everyone she spoke with made her feel comfortable.  Ana was impressed how the members took the initiative to speak with every student and she felt a connection with Mike Perry because he was interested in her involvement with ASB.  “He thanked me for trying to make the school better for the students.  I really appreciated that,” Ana said.  In the end Ana enjoyed the experience very much and hoped she made a good impression on behalf of the school, ASB and the <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">CAMA program</a>.', 'Bakersfield Hosts October Board of Governors Meeting', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'bakersfield-hosts-october-board-of-governors-meeting', '', '', '2011-11-02 21:34:25', '2011-11-03 04:34:25', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=128', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(132, 7, '2011-11-17 16:53:47', '2011-11-18 00:53:47', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mr-k-and-hs-students.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-133" title="mr k and hs students" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mr-k-and-hs-students-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" /></a>This month, the <a title="SJVC Aviation" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-campus/">Aviation Campus </a>was visited by seniors and juniors from Sunnyside High School for Aviation Job Shadow day. The event was arranged by Joint Task Force for Business and Mr. Doug Betts from the Bill Smilie Aviation Center.  In addition to visiting the Aviation campus, the high school students also had a chance to tour the airport’s control tower, Mazzei Flying Service, and Pacific Aviation/Future Eagles.\n\nWhile visiting our campus, the students were welcomed by an enthusiastic staff that enjoyed having the teens participate in a variety of demonstrations arranged by the faculty. For example, Mr. Kenitzer, Airframe instructor, is seen here demonstrating proper drilling and riveting procedures.\n\nIn the General Aviation classroom the students were greeted by Mr. Lionel Smith who had the students work with rigid and flex lines.  Then, with Mr. James Smith in the Powerplant section, the Sunnyside students were able to experience up close the roar of a reciprocating engine going full throttle on the airstrip while Army National Guard F-16 aircraft were taking off in the background.\n\nWith the help of admissions advisor Luanna Hernandez, instructor Jason Alves, and our aviation maintenance students, the Sunnyside visitors were introduced to the culture of the Aviation Campus and got a real feel for what the College is all about. The group participated in hands-on activities, learned some fundamental aspects of aircraft mechanics, played a few games, and spoke to current students—all this while learning about their different career options in the exciting Aviation industry!', 'Aviation Hosts Local High School Students', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'aviation-hosts-local-high-school-students', '', '', '2011-11-17 16:53:47', '2011-11-18 00:53:47', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=132', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(138, 7, '2011-12-08 19:54:47', '2011-12-09 03:54:47', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-139" title="IMG_7688" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_7688-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />\n\n<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College’s </a>faculty, staff and students managed to raise exactly one dollar over the $1,600. bail set for Campus Director Kelly Walters by the Muscular Dystrophy Association Central Valley – but not before she was slapped with handcuffs, taken by patrol car and tossed into the slammer (actually a local restaurant ‘holding cell’). After a couple of hours, bail was officially arranged and Walters received certification of her “MDA Lock-Up” warrant and release.\n<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">Kelly Walters and the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">SJVC Bakersfield </a>campus were recent participants in this year’s MDA Central Valley fundraiser that netted over $27,500, citywide. “We are very interested and involved in community support and local philanthropy,” says Ms. Walters. “Each of our programs has its pet charities and many of our students are drawn to causes that impact their career paths, their own personal lives or the lives of someone they know.”</p>\nBakersfield raised the most money in this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association Lock-Up, which also included Tulare, Hanford, Visalia, Selma and Fresno. “The financial contribution made by San Joaquin Valley College and their supporters will pay for two kids and a counselor to go to MDA’s Camp Tuolumne in Groveland, CA next summer,” says MDA representative Renee Contreras. The camp is designed to handle the mobility needs of young campers with muscular dystrophy, and many water, creative and group activities are provided to give attendees the best possible experience.\n\nKelly Walters and her supporters had about a month to raise the stated bail. Even though she took a check with her to secure her release, she would like to continue to raise money for this worthy cause. Donations are welcome and can be arranged through Kelly Walters’ website: www.joinmda.org/bakers11/kellyw.', 'MDA Bail made for SJVC Campus Director', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'mda-bail-made-for-sjvc-campus-director', '', '', '2011-12-08 19:54:47', '2011-12-09 03:54:47', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=138', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(9134, 7, '2011-12-18 16:36:25', '2011-12-19 00:36:25', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_7871.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-152" title="IMG_7871" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_7871-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Over 140 children of all ages attended this year''s annual Children''s Christmas Party at SJVC in <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> last Friday from 3:00-5:00pm.  Student Resource Coordinator Elisia Sanchez organize this year''s free event which offered fun booths such as face-painting, child-made Christmas ornaments and pictures frames to hold each of their photos taken with Santa.  Story time was held in teh comfortable campus auditorium and food stations provided Christmas snacks and beverages to all attendees.\n\nThe children were all sons, daughters and other relatives of SJVC students, staff and faculty.  Every child got a gift bag filled with goodies, including a raffle ticket for prizes given away at the end of the day.  every adult attending also got a raffle ticket.  "The main attraction was definitely the raffle," said Kerrie Liles, Dean of Student Services.  "Kids were so excited for a chance to win some of the nice gifts we had bought with money raised by student service clubs."\n\nTickets were drawn for over 80 toys and four completely decorated artificial Christmas trees.  "Some employees had even donated their <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> Christmas gift certificates to include in the drawing," said Liles.\n\nSJVC staff, faculty, students and various student clubs spent many months preparing for the event and raising money through bake sales and other campus fundraisers.  Many SJVC employees also volunteered to manage game and food booths as well as try their hands as face painters and crafts instructors.  The most noticeable volunteer was Jesse Decker, SJVC''s General Education Manager, who got the greatest attention as this year''s delightful Santa Claus.\n\n&nbsp;', 'SJVC Hosts Annual Christmas Party', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-hosts-annual-christmas-party', '', '', '2011-12-18 16:36:25', '2011-12-19 00:36:25', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=151', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(155, 7, '2011-12-19 21:36:34', '2011-12-19 21:36:34', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hero719_2011fellows2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-156" title="hero719_2011fellows2" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hero719_2011fellows2-300x137.jpg" width="300" height="137" /></a>Abel and Burlee Vang, GE Instructors on the <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno campus</a>, are the esteemed winners of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sponsors the international competition in search of new writing talent and ideas. After a very long and rigorous selection process, the brothers'' screenplay was one of five chosen out of 6,730 entries.\n\nThey worked for over three years writing "The Tiger''s Child," a story about two orphaned brothers trying to survive during the secret war in Laos. Although it is a work of fiction, some historical events helped to inspire the idea for the screenplay.\n\nAbel and Burlee were invited to attend a week of meetings, luncheons and dinners in Hollywood that led up to the ceremony in November where the Nicholl Fellowships were presented. Highlights of the event as well as Abel and Burlee''s acceptance speech are on the AMPAS website at www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/index.html.\n\nCongratulations to Abel and Burlee on their fantastic achievement! We are proud to have such talented instructors leading our students on their paths to success.', 'We''d Like to Thank the Academy', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'wed-like-to-thank-the-academy', '', '', '2011-12-19 21:36:34', '2011-12-19 21:36:34', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=155', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(160, 7, '2011-12-22 19:18:14', '2011-12-23 03:18:14', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-161" title="SAMSUNG" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Angels-on-the-Tree-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><a title="SJVC Victor Valley" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/victor-valley/">Hesperia</a> students who may be struggling to provide Christmas gifts for their children were encouraged to put an angel on the tree in the Student Center.  The angels provided a place to list their child’s age and gender, then staff, faculty and other students took the angels to buy age and gender appropriate gifts for the children.\n\nMore than seventy angels were placed on the tree and every angel was provided with a gift.  The gifts were wrapped and placed in the Student Center so that parents could come pick up the gifts to present to their children from “Santa.”  With the success of this year’s Angels on the Tree, the Student Center has decided to expand the angels next year to allow staff and faculty in need to place an angel on the tree that will include clothing sizes and a wish list from each child.', 'Hesperia Shares the Christmas Spirit', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hesperia-shares-the-christmas-spirit', '', '', '2011-12-22 19:18:14', '2011-12-23 03:18:14', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=160', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(9135, 7, '2012-01-03 16:31:56', '2012-01-04 00:31:56', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LAB_Field_Trip_Aquas_1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-164" title="LAB_Field_Trip_Aquas_[1]" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LAB_Field_Trip_Aquas_1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Senior <a title="Dental Hygiene" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-hygiene/">Dental Hygiene </a>students from SJVC’s<a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/"> Rancho Cucamonga </a>campus had a firsthand look of how digital technology is enhancing restorative dentistry.\n\nGuided by  Precision Ceramics Dental Laboratory’s VP and co-owner, Mark Jackson RDT, SJVC students were impressed by the facility’s innovation in fabricating precise restorations through digital impressions, CAD/CAM lasers, and cone-beam computerized tomography (CT scans guiding dentists’ precise placement of dental implants).\n\nIn promoting oral health, SJVC dental hygiene students are acutely aware of their role in educating patients while supporting treatment options dentists may prescribe.\n\nStudents Diana Brickley DH ’12 and Rachel Delvaux DH ’12, reported the Precision Ceramics experience “was amazing, gaining a better understanding of how advances in technology can help (dentists) make great dental restorations!”\n\n<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> faculty, Betsy Wilson RDH, stated, “integrating knowledge of the exciting developments in dental materials technology supports the SJVC dental hygiene curriculum, so that graduates are skilled, confident, and educated oral health care professionals.”', 'Senior Dental Hygiene Students Tour State-of-the-Art Lab', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'senior-dental-hygiene-students-tour-state-of-the-art-lab', '', '', '2012-01-03 16:31:56', '2012-01-04 00:31:56', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=163', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(167, 7, '2012-01-26 19:32:54', '2012-01-26 19:32:54', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/tem1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-168" title="tem1" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/tem1-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a>This January, <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> CEO Mike Perry visited the <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/">Temecula</a> campus. This was his first visit with students attending.\n\nStaff and faculty welcomed Mike and his guests in the front lobby, introduced themselves, and expressed their gratitude for the continued support they are given in their roles with the college.\n\nPriscilla Carrasco (admissions advisor) presented Mike with a key to the campus. Mike was made an honorary member of team Temecula and given his own personal Temecula campus badge. Campus Director Robyn Whiles gave Mike and guests a tour of the new campus.\n\nThe campus employees look forward to his next visit to see the <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">RT</a> classroom that is currently under construction open and in full swing with students!', 'Mike Perry Visits Temecula', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '167', '', '', '2012-01-26 19:32:54', '2012-01-26 19:32:54', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=167', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(171, 7, '2012-02-01 20:27:15', '2012-02-02 04:27:15', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0440-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-172" title="IMG_0440 (2)" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0440-2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>When Visalia Business Division Manager Jeff Nevins asked how the <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> interns were performing in their efforts for the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE), supervisor Linda Horsting replied, "They have been a blessing!"\n\nHigh praise for the squad of SJVC Computer Systems Administration (CSA) students volunteering their time since mid-October at TCOE''s Equipment Repair Station (ERS) in northwest Visalia.\n\nTCOE Associate Gary Cordell approached SJVC in early 2011 with the idea for a partnership with the college.  The ERS, which serves many of the county''s smaller public school districts and independent schools, found itself buried in repairs needed for computers, monitors, printers, and overhead projectors.  SJVC instructor Michael Johnson was looking for additional hands-on training for CSA students.\n\n"It was a perfect marriage," stated Johnson, "TCOE needed help and could provide training--and we have the enthusiastic students, ready to learn."  Each intern works two afternoon hours daily, four days per week, over a fifteen week term.  Current participants include Lance Cordero, Jonathan Renteria, Carlos Moreno, Alex Torres, Steven Castaneto, Anselmo Gutierrez, Miguel Martinez, and Richard Schoenfeld.\n\nWhile many CSA students were interested in participating, applicants were required to have completed their first term at SJVC, and have attained a minimum 3.25 GPA.  Additionally, students needed a record of 90% plus attendance, submit a resume, and to pass a rigorous interview with Mr. Nevins, Mr. Johnson, and Career Services Advisor Erika Bassett.\n\n“TCOE is offering our students an outstanding opportunity to gain real-world, hands-on experience, so we take the selection process for student volunteers very seriously,” Ms. Bassett commented. “We want to make sure the students who participate in the program serve as positive representatives of San Joaquin Valley College.  Our eligibility requirements have been set in an effort to reward those who have worked diligently to achieve high academic standing, and to encourage those who are setting a higher standard for themselves.”\n\n<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> is tremendously grateful to TCOE, especially Gary Cordell and Linda Horsting, not only for the opportunity but for helping our future CSA graduates build a strong, technical foundation for their budding careers.   The success of the program has encouraged both organizations to envision it as long-term.\n\nAs Ms. Horsting pointed proudly to a nearly empty rack of computer printers and parts, she said, “Before your students came on board this rack was so full that we hardly could add any more to it.”\n\nCurrent plans call for this successful program to continue.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Visalia CSA Students Excel in Internship', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '171', '', '', '2012-02-01 20:27:15', '2012-02-02 04:27:15', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=171', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(716, 9, '2012-03-16 20:32:34', '2012-03-16 20:32:34', '<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Celia-Rabago.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-717" title="Celia Rabago" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Celia-Rabago-250x290.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="290" /></a>With a love for numbers and a desire for a quick education,<a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a>’s business administration program was a great fit for Rancho Cucamonga student Celia Rabago. After discovering that the program was quick and finding she could search for a job directly after graduation, she knew SJVC was the school for her.</span>\n\n</div>\n <span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I always wanted to go to college and just finish fast and start my career fast - here they offer that. It’s just 14 months and then you have your first degree. Other schools take about four years just to get your Associate’s.”</span>\n\n <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rabago’s choose the<a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/"> business administration program </a>after years of watching her aunt be an accountant. She learned that business is an open field that could lead to many different places after graduation. Rabago was positive that this was the direction she wanted to head towards. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After she began the program, she found even more things she liked. She loved the fact that the school was intimate and there were not a large amount of students in each class. This helped for on- on-one help from the instructors. The help from the instructors as well as counselors really helped Rabago, as she is the first one in her family to go to college. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“It has been a positive learning experience,” states Rabago.</span>', 'A Love For Numbers And Desire For A Quick Education', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '716', '', '', '2012-03-16 20:32:34', '2012-03-16 20:32:34', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=716', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(722, 9, '2012-03-12 20:34:48', '2012-03-12 20:34:48', '&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whether it is writing about their husbands going off to war, their father coming home from war or being surprised with a birthday party while in their birthday suits; people can be inspired by an event and turn it into a moving story. </span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luckily for <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC’s</a> Fresno campus, if students had a love for writing they had a chance to show this in a Creative writing contest. Students were free to write about anything and could write a song, poem or short story. </span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ashley Anderson, Vincent Vera and Jessica Sandoval were the winners and received a luncheon in their honor. Campus administrators and instructors were invited and the winners read their winning stories to the audience.</span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">These three stories and poems really stood out to the judges. Their stories were truly moving and entertaining as they captivated the readers with both sadness and humor.</span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is evident that these students are great writers. If you would like to read the stories they are attached below.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n&nbsp;\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Times New Roman'',''serif'';">Saying Goodbye</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Times New Roman'',''serif'';">By Ashley Anderson</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>I hated that morning.I hated opening my eyes and seeing that stupid color of paint on our tiny apartment bedroom walls.I hated the smell of coffee that was floating up the stairs to greet my nose.I hated his clothes hanging at attention in the doorway of our closet.I hated his huge green duffle bag by the front door.Most of all, I hated feeling so alone, even with him still here.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>It was a cold March Monday morning.It seemed to be darker than normal, like every black cloud had come to hang over our apartment.The clock was mocking me as the seconds crept closer and closer to the deadline.Any other morning, I would have been nagging him to hurry up and get to work, but today I was begging and pleading the clock to stop and for time to stand still. I cooked breakfast silently, not knowing what I should say. Just the thought of speaking made me have to swallow back tears like heavy lumps in my throat anyway.There was such a sense of awkwardness in the air, and it seemed insane to go about our business like a happy couple when we knew the inevitable was drawing near.I knew he would walk out the door this morning and I knew that it may be for the last time ever.I knew that he would leave me, and I could only pray that he would someday come home.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>I watched him stand at the bathroom mirror and shave his face, paying special attention to every stray hair.I sat helplessly watching him, studying him, as he dressed and went through the routine of putting on his uniform.He looked like the perfect soldier, at attention, poised and ready to fight.His name tapes went on in order, American flag, rank, and name.My last name was on his chest and I took in the feel of the starch on his sleeves.I had to reach up on my tip toes to straighten his collar and I was taken back to our wedding day. That same way I had to rise up to kiss him during our first dance. That day wasn’t so long ago, but now the memory was even sweeter as I stood there with him.I tried not to let him notice as I took in a deep breath of his cologne.I had always hated that cologne.It made him smell like an old man.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>He bent and laced up his boots with military precision and reached for his beret.I knew that he was ready to say his final goodbyes.With every step up the stairs he drug those boots like they weighed a thousand pounds.When he reached the top of the stairs, he straightened his face and steadied himself.With a deep breath of sorrow he walked into our daughter’s room.The first traces of early morning traveler’s headlights bounced off the playful light pink walls of our 2 year old Haileigh, and our 6 year old Emily’s room.Their brightly colored stuffed toys and blankets thrown everywhere. They lay sleeping so peacefully that we didn’t dare to wake them. As he walked across the room, every ounce of strength and courage in his eyes disappeared as he fell to his knees and wept at Haileighs bedside.He cried for every second he would be away from them, for every holiday he would miss, and for every goodnight kiss he wouldn’t have. Watching this happen was the hardest thing I had ever done and my heart ached for him. He moved on to Emily and as he kissed her forehead, she woke up and said “Daddy please don’t cry.You’re my hero, and heroes don’t cry.” Emily reached under her </span><span>pillow and pulled out her favorite teddy bear that she explained would keep him safe. He took the bear; put it in the pocket of his ACU pants and we left the house.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>The car ride was too short as we made our way to the U.S. Army reserve unit.The dark morning was starting to lighten as dawn approached.The streetlights were starting to flicker off when we pulled into the gates.There were two charter buses idling in the parking lot, threatening and ominous in the crisp air, with soldiers scurrying to store their baggage in the lock boxes underneath. We said our hellos to the other wives and the commander, and I took my spot next to the others. I joined the silent ranks of the army spouse. The ones dedicated to wait and worry, to fight through the hurt until our loved ones returned.As I stood next to the other women I examined their faces, all filled with hurt and sorrow and fear.Each one as scared as I was. All of us knowing that this may be the very last time we would lay eyes on our loved ones. </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>Finally, it was my turn.He was not a man of much emotion, and was never good at expressing his feelings, but all that faded in an instant when I threw my arms around his neck. We melted into each other’s arms and I cried like a child. I understood the risks, I understood that he wasn’t going to a safe place, and I understood that I may never touch him again.We continued to embrace as the commander began to call off names one by one. “Bruce Anderson, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.” The commander bellowed.Each word weighed on me like a bullet to the heart. I whispered the words “Come back to me,” and sobbed for every minute I would miss, for every knock at the door I would hide from, for every sleepless night, and for every “where is daddy?” I would have to answer. My heart broke again and again as I watched him get on the bus.I felt like my world was over, and I wouldn’t be whole again until he returned. </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span>The other wives and I joined ranks and watched the bus prepare to leave. As it pulled out of the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of him in the back, holding the teddy bear in the window and a sign that said, “I’ll be home soon.” When I had pulled myself together enough to drive home alone, I slumped down into the driver’s seat and was instantly greeted by the smell of his cologne on my sweater. That cologne I had hated so much was now my last reminder of him. It was all I had to hold onto until he came home, and I loved the smell from that day forward.</span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Times New Roman'',''serif'';">Birthday Suit</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">By Vincent J. Vera</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">I was just about to tuck myself into bed, in time for the 7 O’Clock News (as I had no job, no girlfriend, and no incentive for remaining conscious once I’d completed reading the “LIFE” section of the newspaper), when I heard a faint rumble echo from downstairs. This was not uncharacteristic of the southern regions of my home when (my old roommate) Felix was living there; but he’d since gone on to a better place. I’m not talking about Heaven; I’m talking about the condominium that he inhabits two miles up the road with those dental assistants. That was approximately two months prior, and the house had been quieter than a T.G.I. Friday’s on a Monday afternoon ever since; which was why I instantly felt the need to be concerned. </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">I sleep in the nude, it’s one of the perks of living alone; but I was not about to venture downstairs that way. The last thing I needed was to end up on the front page of the <strong><em>Harris Chronicle</em></strong>, dead, in my birthday suit. So I tiptoed over to the closet and quietly slid the door open. I needed to find something situation-appropriate. I knew that my trendy windbreakers would be too loud, my footie pajamas too warm (if things got heated up), and the belt attached to my robe could easily be used as a sort of strangulation device. So, in all its splendor (and against my aforementioned reservations), I began to walk my naked body down the cold, hard steps; and into the unknown.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">Every step was its own obstacle. I found myself struggling to remember where each creak rested as I felt the perspiration dripping down the side of my leg. I could just imagine myself slipping on it, tumbling down the stairs, and being dead before the intruder ever even had the opportunity to bludgeon me to death. Poor guy; what if it was some sort of initiation thing and he had to murder me in order to earn his stripes? Oh well, he was going to have to find another pawn to help him play out his sick game of Checkers.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">I took another step forward (down, actually) and accidentally kicked what I could only assume was a spoon. It rang much too boldly to have been a coin; and I instantly recalled having sat there the previous afternoon, devouring a bowl of peanut butter and wondering what had become of my life. It was just as the ringing of the spoon subsided that another sound came into play; a giggle. It was not the giggle of an imposing and murderous man. It was the giggle of what could have easily been identified as a young child; a young <strong><em>female</em></strong> child. It was at this point that I was certain I’d been caught up in a dream; for there was absolutely no conceivable circumstance in which a young child would have had any reason to have somehow made their way into my home at— I glanced at my, well, where my watch should’ve been; and then I realized that I hadn’t worn one since 1998. I may not have known what time it was (for by this point it seemed far beyond 1900 hours; most likely a side effect of my present paranoia), but I did know that it was <strong><em>time</em></strong> to get it on.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">“Who’s there?!” I shouted, attempting to assert myself and claim authority over the situation. It was then that my blood boiled at a temperature that could’ve nuked a bag of Top Ramen in record time, for my question was answered by a second giggle; only this time there were two. “Let’s just do it already.” was the loud whisper of a man that followed. This was my cue for a preemptive strike. I let out a type of shriek that could only have been matched by Robert Plant himself, and darted down the stairs, into the darkness. It was at the exact moment that I stepped off of the bottom stair that the lights went on; and that’s when I heard,“Surprise!!!!!!!!” </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial Narrow'',''sans-serif'';">There had never been so many people in my home at once. I scanned the room, and everywhere you looked were balloons and signs expressing the happy birthday sentiment. I’d been so wrapped up in my calligraphy lately that it had apparently slipped my mind. How had I forgotten? Today was my birthday. How ironic, that I stood there in front of my forty plus friends, in my birthday suit. </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Come Home</span></span></strong>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center"> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">By Jessica Sanchez</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center"> </div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, come home.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I need you here today.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">It’s beautiful outside and I want to go play.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Mommy is always working;</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I feel so alone.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I really, really miss you.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, come home.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I start school soon!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">It will be my first day.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, I wish you could be here!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I really promise to pray.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">My teacher taught me my letters and sounds!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I also know now that shapes could either have angles or be round.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Wow!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Today we are taking our last test!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">You would be so proud of me daddy.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I finished it first and Teacher told me I did the best!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, Teacher told me I am smart and that I am very ma…mat…mature for 6 years old.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I didn’t know what to say so I just said “Thank you”, and that I had to go.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, guess what! </span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Today is my birthday and Mommy bought me a computer!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">She told me like this: “Baby, it’s so you could see and talk to your father”.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">And Daddy I see you!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I can, I can!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">But, I’m sorry for the tears.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I really am happy.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I am, I am!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I love you and I miss you!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Oh, please come back here!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Oh, please, daddy please!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">It’s been forever!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Like a gazillion years!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, where are you?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Are you very far?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Well, Mommy tells me you are close because you are always in our hearts!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, you would be so proud of mommy.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">She really tries her best.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">She works really hard, feeds my tummy, and even has time to help me study for my test!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">So, Daddy, how are you?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Are you okay?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Everyone says you are like a hero;</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">That is what people say.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, is it true?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Are you like Batman and Robin?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Do you help save people’s lives, and fight bad people like Goblin?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Everywhere I go</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I see kids with their daddy.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Those kids should be happy</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">And should know that they are lucky.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">But, today I saw a girl at the park.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">She was yelling and kicking and saying mean things.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">And all because her daddy accidently bought her the wrong thing.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, I don’t get it.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I don’t understand.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">That girl was my age and she was so mad.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">If only she knew how it feels</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">to miss your dad.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, I know that our family is not alone.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I have a friend whose daddy is never home.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy please tell me what I can do to bring all the Daddies back home.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Can I write a letter to your boss?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy what is his name?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, I heard your boss is the president!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Or am I just, um, insane?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, that can’t be true.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">He said he would bring all the troops home!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I heard it with my own two ears, too!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, he doesn’t know how it feels to leave</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Your family all alone.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, Mr. President lives in a big white house, and his family gets to live with him, too!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">That’s no fair!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">He should think of us, too!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">What Daddy?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">You have a surprise for me?</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy, I’m sorry I talk too much but please answer your phone!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy?!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<em><span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">[knock,knock]</span></em>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Daddy is home!</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<em><span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">[later that night]</span></em>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">I pray that maybe one day every child in the whole wide world could have their daddy at home with them too.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: ''Arial'',''sans-serif'';">Until then, I hope all the other kids in the world could pray with me too.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div align="center"> </div>\n<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td> \n<div>\n\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<span style="font-family: Wingdings; color: #000000;">««««««««««</span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">“Daddy, Come Home”</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">Prayer</span></span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">At night I pray Before I sleep</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">For all children’s parents</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">Are theirs to keep</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">And if the day come</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">Where we are all at peace</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center">\n\n<strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">Then I pray to you That day to keep.</span></strong><span style="font-family: ''Adobe Garamond Pro Bold'',''serif''; color: #000000;">\n</span><strong><span style="font-family: Wingdings; color: #000000;">««««««««««</span></strong>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div align="center"> </div>\n&nbsp;\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<div> </div>\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">\n</span></span>\n<div> </div>\n&nbsp;\n<div> </div>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Fresno''s Creative Writing Contest', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'fresnos-creative-writing-contest', '', '', '2012-03-12 20:34:48', '2012-03-12 20:34:48', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=722', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(725, 9, '2012-03-02 20:36:46', '2012-03-02 20:36:46', '<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“It was really hard for me to get focused on my grades since I got started on the wrong path. After I was expelled was when I realized that this was horrible and I would just cry.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christian Mendoza a Business Administration student at<a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC’s Rancho Cucamonga</a> campus is a prime example of someone who turned his life around was determined to get back on track to where he wants to be in life.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After being expelled he realized that he needed to move forward and wanted to go to school in order to receive the money he knew he both deserved and needed. After growing up in an unhealthy environment he wanted this education not only for himself but also his mom. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mendoza’s family and girlfriend’s support was the extra push that motivated him to start making the right choices. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I had a lot of help from my girlfriend. She motivated and told me to keep trying and work hard. She told me about SJVC and how fast paced it was and how I would be guaranteed classes, I called them and they were willing to help me.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He felt as if this was a second chance and he was not willing to give up this time. <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> helped him get organized and gave him different tools that aided in keeping him focused. Mendoza did his homework and studying in the lab, which helped him have more free time at home, and less to worry about. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Completing his homework is what made the biggest difference and helped his test scores increase greatly. This positive feedback gave him hope that his dream of owning his mom’s trucking business would one day come true. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To Mendoza <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a> was one of the best things that happened to him. It helped him get his life going in the right direction. He is incredibly grateful that he was given a second chance.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“If you get a second chance, make the most of it because that might be the only other chance you get,” stated Christian Mendoza.</span>\n\n&nbsp;\n<div> </div>', 'A Second Chance', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-second-chance', '', '', '2012-03-02 20:36:46', '2012-03-02 20:36:46', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=725', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(728, 9, '2012-02-24 21:18:45', '2012-02-24 21:18:45', '<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Virginia-Ochoa-HESP-STUDENT-picture.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-729" title="Virginia Ochoa HESP STUDENT picture" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Virginia-Ochoa-HESP-STUDENT-picture-290x213.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="213" /></a>After being sick for a long amount of time and missing a lot of school, most students would become discouraged and think that they can never go back to school. Virginia Ochoa a <a title="Pharmacy Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology/">pharmacy tech</a> student at <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC''s </a>Hesperia campus, she decided to give school one more try.</span>\n\n</div>\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having been out of high school for over a decade, she was swamped with working full time and thinking that she would never have time to go back to school. After a lot of thinking and research she decided that there was no better time than the present for her to further her education. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At first getting back into school was difficult for Ochoa, as it is an accelerated program and a lot faster than the way school was back when she was in high school, however she had the mindset that she was going to pass.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I want to get A’s and I’m not going to settle for anything less than A’s and that’s what kept my mind frame going. This is what I got to do.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This determination carried on even when Ochoa hit a rough patch. After getting sick and being hospitalized she was worried that she was not going to be able to finish the program. However her instructors were there every step of the way. She managed to stay on top of everything and even raise her grade from failing to passing with a B. At this point she knew that she was going to be able to finish the program.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With the help of her instructors and the other students in the program, Ochoa can personally encourage any other study that is afraid to start or becomes frustrated during the program.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Don’t be afraid to ask questions; don’t be afraid to say hey I’m struggling, I need help. Don’t be afraid to put that hand out because there’s always a hand that’s going to help you and pull you back in.”</span>', 'SJVC Student Gives School One More Try', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-student-gives-school-one-more-try', '', '', '2012-02-24 21:18:45', '2012-02-24 21:18:45', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=728', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(738, 9, '2012-02-17 22:33:58', '2012-02-17 22:33:58', '<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Manuel-Sanchez-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-739" title="Manuel Sanchez (2)" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Manuel-Sanchez-2-213x290.jpg" alt="" width="213" height="290" /></a>Manual Sanchez, a <a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/">Business Administration</a> student at <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC’sBakersfield</a> campus, is someone whose life is one of trials and rough patches; however he does not look at his past in a negative way. He views himself as a dedicated student who is aiming towards a successful future. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“For people who have very bad backgrounds, no matter if it’s felonies or misdemeanors, just try to overcome it, try to leave that behind, to try just keep moving forward and better yourself – and education is one way to do that.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sanchez knew that in order to be successful he needed to further his education. His first step was looking for the college that was perfect for him. His little brother found a SJVC brochure and after doing some research he took the next step and filled out an application. Within the next three days he was signing papers and enrolled for classes. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first day was a blur for Sanchez but everyone he talked to greeted him kindly and made his first day a positive experience. The positive experience he gains at school keeps him motivated to keep going on even days that he feels burnt out.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In addition to the positive environment, his little brothers keep him motivated.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I had a bad childhood - a very bad background.What motivates me is just trying to be a role model for my little brothers, my little cousins and society, so they can see that people can change.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sanchez was quick to say that <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a> is changing his life “not just a little but a lot”. He is not only gaining an education but also friends that encourage him along the way. Those friends are what he is going to miss the most when he graduates. </span>\n\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Sanchez graduates his plan is to further his education, and get a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting. In the next ten years he hopes to open his own accounting firm for large businesses. He is quite sure that his love for numbers that will make his job fun </span>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;\n<div>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“If you want to succeed,” say Sanchez, “just don’t be afraid to make that step into the future.Because it’s [the future’s] always going to come – no matter how life is, how sucky it is (pardon my language) it’s always going to keep on going –you just have to deal with it and not be afraid of anybody around or anything.”</span>\n\n</div>', 'Positive Step Forward', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'positive-step-forward', '', '', '2012-02-17 22:33:58', '2012-02-17 22:33:58', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=738', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(742, 9, '2012-02-03 22:37:50', '2012-02-03 22:37:50', '<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Scott-Margetta-pic.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-743" title="Scott Margetta pic" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Scott-Margetta-pic-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Scott Margetta has always had a passion for flying things. Luckily his passion is now in the making to become his profession. From flying model airplanes when he was a child to being in the air traffic control in the military as a young adult, he has always been involved in flying and the mechanics of planes. Now he is working his way through the aviation program at <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">San Joaquin Valley College</a>, in order to continue making a living off of his love for being surrounded by planes and helicopters. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout the years, he has come to the conclusion an aviation maintenance school was the direction in which he wanted to go. With a simple Google search, he discovered that SJVC was a perfect fit and extremely convenient with its nearby location. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Margetta is at the half-way mark in receiving his degree and could not be more excited with the way his schooling is going. He is a kinesthetic learner so the hands-on experiences are perfect for him and anyone who wants to go into mechanics. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <a title="Aviation Maintenance Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-maintenance-technology/">aviation program</a> is fast paced which means from day one the students are working at a quick speed, constantly improving their knowledge and quickly nearing their graduation day. The quick pace is what Margetta loves about the program and the main reason he picked SJVC.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because he started working on airplanes rather than flying them, he has realized quite a few things. First, while gaining more knowledge, he learned that flying planes is such an expensive hobby. Therefore working on them is the next best thing. He has also learned why planes last so long and that is due to his future job. The precise technical mechanics make his job so important. His job is what keeps the airplanes in the air and the people on-board safe. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The knowledge he is receiving from the program is helping him grow as a mechanic, however the fascination for model airplanes as a child has also helped him greatly in the program. During classes Margetta was able to bring in model airplanes and describe what the instructor was saying to his classmates by showing them on the toy planes.It gave an accurate visual for the class to see because toy and real airplanes have the same flight dynamics and characteristics. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He never wants to stop learning. After<a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank"> SJVC</a> he hopes to continue to learn more about planes as well as helicopters. Whether it is toy or real planes, flying or mechanics, Margetta will always have a love for anything that can fly.</span>', 'From Toy to Real Planes', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'from-toy-to-real-planes', '', '', '2012-02-03 22:37:50', '2012-02-03 22:37:50', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=742', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(785, 7, '2011-11-23 20:23:22', '2011-11-23 20:23:22', '[caption id="attachment_786" align="alignleft" width="290"]<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/GROUP-CORRECTIONS-HESP-STUDENT-Porchea-Bowdre.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-786" title="GROUP CORRECTIONS HESP STUDENT Porchea Bowdre" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/GROUP-CORRECTIONS-HESP-STUDENT-Porchea-Bowdre-290x213.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="213" /></a> Bowdre and her fellow corrections students at SJVC Hesperia[/caption]\n\nPorschea Bowdre was tired of hitting a promotional ceiling in her professional career. As a correctional facility employee, Bowdre had all the experience necessary for a position in parole but was missing one thing – a degree.\n<div> An obviously social person, Bowdre never saw nor experienced education as an island. Referred to SJVC by her sister, she came to the Criminal Justice program on <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/campus/Hesperia/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC’s Hesperia campus</a> and “enjoyed it from day one.”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>“I tell people about it all the time it’s great…there’s someone there to help you,” says Bowdre. [SJVC’s] dedication to helping students here is almost like a snowball effect because whatever class you go into there’s always someone who says ‘Well if you need help I can help you,’ so everyone here is like one big team.”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>Previous to starting at SJVC, Bowdre felt intimdated – as a 29-year-old mom, school was going to be a big change. One of the biggest hurdles for Bowdre in the beginning was finances.</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>“It’s like you pay for your household - basically your rent, your car, and I’m a single mother of one so it’s like ‘Well my kid needs shoes but hey, I also need a uniform shirt’ so what do you do?”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>However, it was Bowdre and the SJVC students’ commitment to community that yet again proved education is not an island.</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>“Like I said everyone here is a team. The CJ program started putting on bake sales and carwashes, anything to help one another out. You need help with uniform money? Boom we’re going to put on a carwash and all the CJ students are out there washing cars. So the transition was rather smooth but I’m not going to say I didn’t have any hurdles.”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>Bowdre looks forward to graduation and returning to the corrections field – but “no more hanging out at the bottom of the food chain!” she says. Bowdre will look for a supervisory position after school as well as look to continue her education.</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nSome days it’s work to stay motivated, but there are plenty of encouragements for Bowdre. As a committed CJ profession, Bowdre see the inherent service in her work.\n\n</div>\n<div> “A lot of people look at it [criminal justice] just as an authority or a controller. I look at it as helping my community; I’m keeping the bad guys in to help my victims feel safer at night. I look at it as almost community service.”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>And most importantly, she sees the long-run benefits of her education for her daughter. She encourages students to “keep your heads up. There’s always light at the end of that tunnel, always is, never fails. Things that come into our life are just things that are trying to distract us from getting to our goal, but if you continue to focus on your main thing then you’re going to get there.”</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nWhat’s your encouragement to other students who might be struggling or trying to figure out if they are going to come back?\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<em>“Definitely whatever they are going through, I don’t know what works for them but what works for me is I pray. But I will assure them that being here, there’s someone here who cares! If you don’t think that anyone cares, someone here cares and you know what I care! So if you need me to come in to help you with your study plan, you need me to come in to help with studying anything for a test or a quiz I’ll come in. All of us here have a phone list with everyone’s number. We took it down, like hey we’ll text each other. Hey make sure your boots are shined, Hey were doing this, Hey we’re going to be studying on this time on Sunday. We meet outside of class; we don’t just come in and meet Monday through Thursday. We meet on the weekends and we’ll help each other. So I would tell that student, if you need help call me. I’m here for you. If you feel like no one cares, I care because I’m making my time available to you because someone’s made their time available to me and that’s what you need. You need that support.”</em>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<em>\n</em>\n\n</div>\n<div> Do you have any hobbies that you do on the side that people don’t know about?</div>\n<div>\n\n<em>I’m a loner. I pretty much just spend time with my daughter. I’m at church every Sunday. I cook, I cook at church, and I cook big Sunday dinners for the congregation. I put together food boxes for the homeless. We’ll get different boxes donated to us from other companies and we’ll put them together and whatever food that we get in for that week we’ll put them together and make sure the families get an equal amount. Other than that I’m an ice-cream fanatic. I love ice-cream. I really love Ben and Jerry’s Turtle Soup and I’m so upset because they quit selling that up here, and the nearest Turtle Soup is in Santa Anna can you believe that!? But I’ve settled for the Dove chocolate bars.</em>\n\n</div>\n<div> <strong>Congratulations Porschea on your graduation from <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/campus/Hesperia/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a> this past fall – we are so proud to call you one of our alumni! </strong></div>', '''No More Hanging Out at the Bottom of the Food Chain''', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'no-more-hanging-out-at-the-bottom-of-the-food-chain', '', '', '2011-11-23 20:23:22', '2011-11-23 20:23:22', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=785', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(790, 7, '2011-11-07 20:35:32', '2011-11-07 20:35:32', '<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We love to hear from our students post-graduation and thought we''d post one of our most recent success stories here. Congratulations to Matt! We are so proud of you!</span>\n\n<em>I started my <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online/">San Joaquin Online </a>experience August 2010. Since that time I have gained a vast amount of knowledge, not only in my construction major, but also my academic classes. After twenty years in the residential construction field I decided to further my education and my career. My goals were to obtain my degree and work toward employment in a management role. With a set goal and determination, I have obtained both.</em>\n\nThe road has not always been easy, juggling a full time career, family, and school has caused me to look into myself and my character. Dedication to all of these simultaneously has made me a stronger minded person, for which I am grateful.\n\nA week prior to my graduation date I was offered a position as a residential site superintendent. The best part is the offer came from one of the top fifty builders in the nation and the one I really wanted to work for. I could not have done this without the support of all of my teachers, advisors, as well as some classmates. My success is a true testament that if you set your goals and stay focused you will achieve the dreams you have for yourself. This is the start of my growing career and when the time is right, I will return to school to gain a higher level degree and continue to succeed.\n\nBest of luck to all who are on the path to success at <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">San Joaquin Valley College</a>!\n\nSincerely,\nMatt Miller', 'Congratulations Matt Miller!', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'congratulations-matt-miller', '', '', '2011-11-07 20:35:32', '2011-11-07 20:35:32', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=790', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(795, 7, '2011-10-25 20:40:28', '2011-10-25 20:40:28', '<span><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_62971.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-799" title="IMG_6297" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_62971-290x213.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="213" /></a>  One of the best parts about <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> is celebrating our students: learning about their lives, their journey to education and the things that keep them going. We are proud of all our students and particularly of Rondale Stevenson, a <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/campus/Rancho_Cucamonga/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">Rancho Cucamonga</a> student who will graduate from the Criminal Justice program on November 16.</span>\n<div>\n\n<em><span>Hello my name is Rondale Stevenson, I am twenty-eight years old and I am the seventh child of eleven. Yes! My mother had eleven kids, although two brothers are deceased and a few are incarcerated. I am lucky number seven; </span><span>I’m the only one who has attended college - where I come from, college was not a top priority. </span></em>\n\n<em></em><em><span>Overcoming poverty-stricken surroundings, I became very determined to succeed. </span><span>I say this because life challenges you, and you can be here one moment and gone the next or even locked up. </span></em>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>I grew up with love: my mother is the heart beat that makes me think and sleep. She teaches me to put God first and everything will work out in due time. No matter what negativity you are surrounded by, you have to stay strong and know right from wrong! Morals played a big factor growing up in a huge family with lots of different personalities. They taught me how to interact with others and learn from the good and the bad so when I start my own family, I will be the best father ever by taking care of them. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>I have two beautiful girls named Sariyah and Miyah. Sariyah is six and Miyah is four years old. They both keep me motivated to wake up every morning with a smile on my face, waiting to catch the first bus of three in route to school. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>I came to be at SJVC through a change of careers. I was a truck driver for a short period of time, with a family of two. I quit due to the stress of being away from my family. It was very difficult for my partner, handling two little ladies by herself. Although the money was great and the scenery was so beautiful, my heart was in the right place by coming home to my family. I prayed to my Father as I was kneeling down, knowing he would show me my next path. I remember a question in my head that kept popping up but I ignored it, thinking about money and getting a job to support my family. But as I was wondering, that question was blocking my vision from looking for employment. And I couldn’t understand that. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>So I got up off my knees, ignored that feeling from my head and continued to look for a job. As time went by, I found myself looking for help, guidance. I realized I needed something that would make me stay focused and active. Then that feeling came back, but instead, from my heart. I remember that question that I thought about and ignored. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>School was the answer to my prayer. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>But the struggles didn’t stop there. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>During the beginning months of school things were going pretty well, but by my second mod things begin to take a turn for the worse when it came to my personal life. My home situation with my children’s mother became very stressful and ended with me moving in with my mother. My younger sister was incarcerated while pregnant with her first child. My sister delivered her baby, which my mother and I care for now. I also knew my mother was suffering from troubling health concerns. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>This weighed very heavy on me and my school work. I did my best not to let my troubles distract me. While on the bus I took time to study the material given each day because when I made it home I knew I had little time to do school work. After expressing my concerns to my family - that my grades were slipping and I was falling behind - I realized I needed outside support, so that’s when I went to my CJ advisor who was very helpful in giving me advice on what steps I needed to take in order for me to stay focused and on track. </em></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<em><span>So to those who are in the same lane that I’m in - don’t </span><span>get too discouraged to catch up, go at your own fast past. No matter what subject material you are struggling in - whether its math, English, or any core class. No matter the hard decision-making dealing with your own family or core family. No matter whether it be your partner, boyfriend, or girlfriend, or somebody holding you back. So try not to be afraid to turn left or right, change lanes or even stop. Continue to go straight because at the in of the tunnel, God always has your back. </span></em>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span><em>I say this because, here I am a student of <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/campus/Rancho_Cucamonga/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a>, almost done, waiting for my life to begin in a career in law enforcement. </em></span>\n\n</div>', 'Letter from One Student to You', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'letter-from-one-student-to-you', '', '', '2011-10-25 20:40:28', '2011-10-25 20:40:28', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=795', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(187, 7, '2012-03-23 18:11:27', '2012-03-23 18:11:27', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/475888_293450844054851_147272198672717_728217_1186257431_o.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-188" title="475888_293450844054851_147272198672717_728217_1186257431_o" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/475888_293450844054851_147272198672717_728217_1186257431_o-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a>What started out as a typical day for eight students quickly turned into something extraordinary. A simple phone call to James Cunnigham, Kailynn Parker, Angelina Guinn, Estrellita Gonzales, Ann Fera, Jaime Biehl, Darien Robinson and Laura Pittman resulted in the beginning of a trip to Washington DC that they would remember forever.\n\n“My initial reaction was disbelief. I was at my extern site when the campus management team called me to tell me I won. I was so surprised and exited that I began to cry,” expressed <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu" target="_blank">SJVC </a>student Star Gonzales. Joy and excitement flooded through each of the students as they were informed that they had won. Students were selected through nominations by faculty and an essay competition (to read excerpts of the winning essays, see below).\n\nThe three day and three night trip was packed full of sight-seeing and bonding with fellow SJVC students and employees.\nThe sights that they were privileged to see included the National Museum of Natural History, American History Museum, National Archives Museum, Ford ‘s theatre, dinner at Union Station, the US Capitol Building and a night tour of all the monuments.\n\nThe students were accompanied by Mike Perry, Beth Hyde, Alyssa Perry and Lauren Haney. They loved getting to know the people who had helped make this trip possible. All of the students agreed that Mr. Perry was a most knowledgeable tour guide!\n\nEven though the trip was full of fun, they also went there for a purpose. The students had the opportunity to go to California representatives and explain to them why SJVC was the best educational option for them and why state and federal funding is so important to their education and success.\n\n“Standing up for my school and my fellow students was the best part for me,” stated Temecula student Kailynn Parker. The students believed that they were allowed to go one step farther in expressing their love for school, which most people do not get the chance to do.\n\nEvery student agreed that this trip greatly influenced them and showed how grateful they were to be a part of the SJVC family. The students would like to thank SJVC for the amazing opportunities to not only go on an amazing trip, but to also grow as a person, student and professional.\n\n"After attending my first class, a wave of unfamiliar excitement toward school had overcome me, as I saw, for the first time, a small class with a teacher that actually cares that you are ''getting it''...Because of the sincere attention of the faculty, I have been able to excel in all of my courses, contribute many hours to community service, develop a clear focus on what it will take to enter the workforce, and for the first time in my thirty-two years of life, I am really, truly proud of myself." -Annie Ferla\n\n"I put off coming back to school for approximately 15 years. I always did well in job interviews, so I’ve always been able to get good jobs with only a high school education. Though supervisory positions seemed tempting, my lack of qualifications held me back from pursuing these dreams...One of the analogies that best describe my experiences at SJVC is: SJVC is to the student, as the hardware store is to the carpenter. This refers to the preparation and accumulation of the ‘tools’ necessary to complete a job. In my opinion SJVC gives its students the skills or ‘tools’ necessary to compete in the job market, land a great job, and be successful." -Darien Robinson\n\n“''For changes to be of any true value, they''ve got to be lasting and consistent.'' This quote exemplifies what an education at San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) is giving me. My education will help me obtain a career and live to be a better person. I have gone through many changes in my life but my greatest change has been obtained while attending SJVC. I have learned to have more confidence in myself and to be able to hold my head up high." -Jamie Biehl\n\n"Attending SJVC has made me a good citizen. It has helped me become a better and professional person. Getting this my college degree from SJVC has made me more confident. Because I was a foster child, I had no hopes in graduating high school let alone get my college degree. So, when I heard about San Joaquin Valley College, I was hopeful. Then I came to school and I found it as an amazing opportunity to improve my abilities as well as better my education, making a better future for myself. <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/">SJVC Temecula </a>has supported me when I needed help and support." -Kailynn Parker\n\n"In my entrance interview to SJVC, Mr. Nijjar told me that he expected more of me than what I gave at my old junior college; he wanted me to get straight A’s in this program. Maybe he says that to everybody that he interviews and maybe not, but I took it to heart. I did not achieve the straight A’s, but I came close, and I attribute it to the initial challenge that I received by administration at the very beginning of my SJVC experience. What junior college is going to take that level of personal interest in their students?" -Laura Pittman\n\n"My story is a great example of this. When I enrolled at SJVC, my mindset was that I was doing this for my family, to better help support them. It turns out that the best decision I ever made for them, was actually the best decision I have ever made for ME. The greatest thing I believe I have achieved here at SJVC is the confidence to believe in myself, and that who I am can have an impact on others." -Estrellita "Star" Gonzales\n\n"After my service in the United States ARMY, I started down a road of jobs that were not fulfilling. With every new job came the unsettling feeling that I was not doing what I truly wanted with my life. I had looked into applying for law enforcement jobs, but I felt I was not qualified for the position. My grandfather was a great man who served as a Missouri Highway Patrol Officer for 25 years, and every time I asked myself “Can I fill his shoes?” The answer came back, “No.” It was not until I found myself sitting in a class room at San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) that I finally felt my aspirations were finally becoming my reality. The confidence and knowledge I gained from the incredible instructors at SJVC in just seven short months has given me a new look on life. No longer do I doubt my capabilities. I now know I have what it takes to work along with some of the finest. SJVC has given me not only an education it has given me hope." -James Cunningham\n\n"A big reason to why I choose to attend college is in thanks to my mother. Unfortunately, my mother passed away two years ago, but something great came from her passing. The last months of her life she had nurse come daily to take care of her. I was so grateful for the care and respect she gave my mom. After her passing I realized I wanted to be able to pass it forward. I wanted to give patients the care and respect that nurse gave my mom, for this is why I knew I wanted to attend college to get into the medical field. SJVC became the perfect choice." -Angelina Gunn', 'SJVC Students take on Washington D. C. ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-students-take-on-washington-d-c', '', '', '2012-03-23 18:11:27', '2012-03-23 18:11:27', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=187', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(191, 7, '2012-03-28 16:58:35', '2012-03-28 16:58:35', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Capture.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-192 alignleft" title="Capture" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Capture-300x228.png" width="300" height="228" /></a>It was the first time I searched for my interviewee on YouTube.  Maybe it should be done more often.\n\nReneisha Wilkes, one of <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu" target="_blank">SJVC</a>’s own, has quite a few hits on YouTube.  Maybe it’s because she’s put in more community service hours in Southern California than anyone else.  Or maybe it’s because Ellen DeGeneres gave her a new car and $10,000.  Or maybe both.\n\nEither way, this is one student resource coordinator you need to know more about.\n\nWilkes started her own non-profit organization when she was 14, and almost by accident.  The daughter of a single mom, Wilkes noticed her mom’s efforts to make ends meet and wanted to do as much as she could to help.\n\n“I started looking for free resources and I saw lots of things I didn’t necessarily need but I knew other people could use,” said Wilkes.\n\nReneisha started making flyers listing these resources and gave them to friends – “…and it blew up from there!” said Wilkes.  “I had parents waiting for me after school for the resources I had.”\n\nAside from being philanthropic, Wilkes also laughingly describes herself as being “environmentally friendly” - and with her quickly expanding following, she found flyers were no longer her best choice.  She brought the seedling non-profit of her teenage years into the 21<sup>st</sup> century by creating a website in response to the demand, now called someonehelpme.com.\n\nWith a current count of over 72 volunteers through the US and 10-20 thousand website hits a week, Wilkes’ natural response to need has reached national proportions.\n\n“The volunteers that help with the non-profit are from all around the US and I get connected with them as they come across the website or by word of mouth…”\n\nAnd word of mouth is what brought Reneisha to the Ellen DeGeneres show early last year.  It was Ellen who inspired Wilkes to do what she could to help those around her and it was Ellen in turn who helped Reneisha do so.\n\n“I was catching four to five busses to get to my contacts and projects…I got a phone call inviting me to the show and I won Ellen’s first ‘volunteer of the month’ award…”  But Wilkes never expected to also be given a brand new car and $10,000.\n\n“She [Ellen] was always trying to give back and help people,” said Wilkes.  “I come from a family who was always looking to give, no matter what our situation is, we’re looking to better someone else’s situation.”  And now that’s what Wilkes does not only through her non-profit organization, but also through her position as Student Resource Coordinator for <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">SJVC’s Rancho Cucamonga campus</a>.\n\n“I don’t get paid for the non-profit so it works out to get paid for what I do!” said Wilkes.  Her job includes helping students with their personal life so they can focus on and do well in their education.  Reneisha’s aid with services from legal assistance to childcare to laundry detergent and groceries help students stay in school and focused so they don’t have to stress.\n\n“There was one particular student…her and her family were sleeping in the car.  When I found out, I immediately got them placed in a low income apartment and was able to help them out weekly with food,” said Wilkes.\n\nIn the last year, students under Wilkes’ encouragement have completed over 21,000 scholarships submissions and have been awarded over 116 scholarships.  23 students have been successfully placed in low income housing and Wilkes’ connections have provided donations for dairy products, Top Ramen, Cup ‘o Noodles, general grocery and gas cards and child care through a low income program.  In the last six months, students under Reneisha''s oversight have completed over 2,380 hours of community service.\n\nSJVC couldn’t be more proud of Reneisha – both as a graduate of the CMA program at the Hesperia campus and now her position at Rancho Cucamonga.\n\n“Do scholarships!” says Reneisha to all current students.  “Motivation [to do scholarships] is the biggest struggle because it take a lot just to go back to school so the extra push for scholarships is a lot but if I could pay off my tuition with scholarships – and I didn’t have a special story or anything – they can do the same thing.”\n\n<em> </em>\n\n<em>To see Reneisha at the Ellen DeGeneres show, follow the link below:</em>\n<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmhtRMSlG7Hc&amp;h=0AQE8IzvHAQEvSccYLmSKJNTaS7hB4hnQ_U0_vmgpr_KDtw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/<wbr />watch?v=mhtRMSlG7Hc</a>', 'A Student Resource Coordinator, Ellen DeGeneres and a Heart for Others', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-student-resource-coordinator-ellen-degeneres', '', '', '2012-03-28 16:58:35', '2012-03-28 16:58:35', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=191', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(213, 7, '2012-04-05 20:56:44', '2012-04-06 03:56:44', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BAKO2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-216" title="&lt;Samsung D70 / D75 / S730 / S750&gt;" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BAKO2-300x170.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="170" /></a>Sometimes there is no better gift than to give.  It’s a feeling <a href="www.sjvc.edu">SJVC </a>students know well through their commitment to community and service.  This time, it was multiple groups on the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield campus</a>:  the Healthcare Insurance Specialist Club collected money to go toward toys and other gifts for people in need and the Financial Aid department put together Easter baskets, both working with the A. Miriam Jamison Children''s Center, Kern County Department of Human Services.\n\nThe Jamison Center serves children who are taken away from abusive homes by Child Protective Services. The center endeavors to bring comfort to these children by easing the transition from their home to a foster home.\n\nHISC ended up raising $500 for the center through two objectives. The first used campus dress-down days where students, faculty and staff could pay an amount of money and in return wear jeans for that day. The dress-down day used a sports theme so the students could wear their favorite team’s colors or clothing.\n\nThe second way they donated money truly showed how generous and selfless the club is:  in order to supplement the dress-down day funds, they pulled money out of their own club account. Without a second thought, they willingly gave as much money as they could to the Jamison Center.\n\nFor the second year in a row, the FA department gathered Easter supplies donated from student, staff and faculty to put together baskets for the Jamison Center.  They expanded their reach this year to also include the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter by supporting their annual Eggstravaganza.  One hundred children are anticipated to participate in the Easter egg hunt, picnic, carnival and bounce house.\n\nThanks to the financial aid department and the Bakersfield SJVC campus, FA assembled 24 Easter baskets, 82 candy filled eggs, 51 Easter bags (filled with candy and toys).  The 24 baskets will be donated to the Jamison Center while the remainder will be donated to the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter.\n\nThe club members and Financial Aid department would like to thank all of the students who participated in the fundraising events andlooks forward to giving more to the Jamison Children’s Center in the future.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Students Donating to Community', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'students-donating-to-community', '', '', '2012-04-05 20:56:44', '2012-04-06 03:56:44', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=213', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(222, 7, '2012-04-26 21:15:46', '2012-04-27 04:15:46', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/vent.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-223" title="vent" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/vent-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>[Press Release]\n\n<a title="SJVC Rancho Cordova" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cordova/">Rancho Cordova</a>, CA – Machines better known for helping people in hospital intensive care units breathe easier will be hitting the road April 21 in an event sponsored by Respiratory Therapy students from San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) to raise money for local lung health issues.\n\nThe college’s first-time Ventilator 5K race will kick off at 9:00 am at the <a href="http://g.co/maps/9q8j3">Village</a><a href="http://g.co/maps/9q8j3">Green</a><a href="http://g.co/maps/9q8j3">Amphitheater</a>, 3141 Bridgeway Dr., Rancho Cordova, CA, with more than 5-teams that have each raised at least $500 in pledges. “The objective is to push the ventilator five kilometers,” says Bruce Dearing, SJVC’s Respiratory Therapy Program Assessment Coordinator. “Each team consists of a crew chief and pit crew, which will take turns pushing the ventilator.” Teams will decorate their rolling, 5-legged and approximately 3-4 ft. tall and 40-50 lb. ventilator, to reflect a theme they select, such as The Muppets, Wizard of Oz and Star Wars. Prizes will be awarded for 1<sup>st</sup>, 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> place finish, as well as best costume design.\n\nSpearheaded by the American Respiratory Care Foundation (ARCF), the Ventilator 5K was officially launched in 2006 at the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Respiratory Congress in Las Vegas, NV. The Rancho Cordova event is one of hundreds that will be taking place all across the country over the course of the year. The unique feature of the Rancho Cordova event is that will include respiratory health education and a general health fair.\n\n“The goal is to give respiratory therapists and students a fun and productive way to raise funds that can then be applied to lung health concerns in their own communities,” says Michael T. Amato, BS, chair of the ARCF Board of Trustees.\n\n“Mechanical ventilators literally breathe life back into people who cannot breathe on their own. So we thought, what better machine to use in a fundraising event aimed at breathing new life into important projects to improve lung health right here in Rancho Cordova,” says Bruce Dearing.\n\nMr. Dearing says funds raised by the Rancho Cordova event will go to support Folsom Cordova Community Partnership, a local non-profit organization that works to enhance the education, health, and well being of the children, youth, and adults of our community.\n\nThe ARCF is tracking the events nationwide and will be awarding points for the most creatively decorated ventilator, best 5K course, most money raised, and other factors. Awards will be presented at the upcoming AARC International Respiratory Congress in San Antonio, TX, this December.\n\nThe American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is a not-for-profit, professional organization, consisting of more than 47,000 respiratory therapists, physicians, and other health care professionals. AARC is dedicated to assisting persons with respiratory diseases receive safe and effective respiratory care.\n\nRespiratory Therapists (RTs) are specially trained and licensed respiratory health care professionals assisting physicians in diagnosis, treatment and management of respiratory diseases. RTs provide care in hospitals, outpatient centers, physicians’ offices, skilled nursing facilities and patients’ homes.\n\nSan Joaquin Valley College’s Respiratory Therapy (RT) program is 18-months of hands-on education and career training, which prepares students to be job-ready in a competitive industry. Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are eligible for state licensure and national credentialing examinations, including the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials.\n\nFor participation information or how you can donate, please contact Bruce Dearing, RT Program Instructor-San Joaquin Valley College at (916) 638-7582.\n\n&nbsp;', '“Breathing Matters” 5K Vent Race and Health Fair: Respiratory Therapists Breathe Life into Local Lung Health Needs', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'breathing-matters-5k-vent-race-and-health-fair-respiratory-therapists-breathe-life-into-local-lung-health-needs', '', '', '2012-04-26 21:15:46', '2012-04-27 04:15:46', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=222', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(226, 7, '2012-05-16 17:09:11', '2012-05-17 00:09:11', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/image.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-229" title="image" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/image-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a>In April, <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> SIFE students stood before 14 judges in Hollywood, competing against 32 teams in 6 leagues. SJVC SIFE took Second Runner up in the competition by creating oral presentations, written reports and power points showing SIFE’s involvement in the community.\n\nThis year students from the<a title="SJVC Modesto" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/modesto/"> Modesto campus </a><em>(lead by Ashvindar Singh)</em> and the Visalia campus<em> (lead by David Morra)</em> joined forces in the competition. SIFE members were also supported by SIFE students from the Rancho Cucamonga campus <em>(lead by Maryann Sebelist).</em>\n\nThe students also had an opportunity to attend a career fair, with over 20 companies and corporations ready to interview and hire students; 3 SJVC students were interviewed on the spot. Members of SIFE were also able to network with other students and business leaders from the entire Western United States.\n\n<em>“We are looking forward to next year’s SIFE competition, building our next team campus wide.” David Morra-SIFE Advisor-Visalia Campus.</em>', 'SJVC SIFE Goes to Hollywood', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '226', '', '', '2012-05-16 17:09:11', '2012-05-17 00:09:11', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=226', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(231, 7, '2012-05-24 18:20:42', '2012-05-25 01:20:42', '<img class="size-medium wp-image-232 alignleft" title="IMG_0155" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0155-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> SIFE and PT Club students Raised Funds to provide Easter Eggs and an Easter egg hunt for The Spirit of Women House in Fresno, CA.  Over one thousand Eggs were filled with Goodies for Children of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ALL</span> ages. The hunt was divided into various age groups, from 0-3yrs, 4-7yrs, 8-older, and Adult. Each age group had age appropriate toys and goodies, even feminine items for the women living in the transitional house.\n\nHundreds of mothers and their children have been coming to Spirit of Woman for help and healing since 2000. The Central Fresno facility is a safe haven from their former chaotic lives of drug and alcohol abuse.\n\nThe Easter Egg Hunt was not only fun for SJVC Students, but it also gives the house hope, that people in the community still care about them, and want to help them become productive members of society.\n\n(The event was led by SJVC Club advisors: David Morra, Kathleen Self and Leigh Chavarria)', 'Easter at SJVC Visalia', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'easter-at-sjvc-visalia', '', '', '2012-05-24 18:20:42', '2012-05-25 01:20:42', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=231', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(9136, 7, '2012-06-01 20:38:07', '2012-06-01 20:38:07', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/11111111.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-237" title="11111111" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/11111111-169x300.jpg" width="169" height="300" /></a>“First term students” usually means nervousness, unease and hopefully a slow and gentle start for a program – but not for <a title="Dental Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-assistant/">SJVC Visalia’s Dental Assisting </a>students.\n\nFour students and their instructor helped to provide dental care to needy California residents, jumping right into to their field and getting a big picture experience in the process.\n\n“I wanted to ‘wake up’ the compassion in [the students’] hearts and offer them a chance to dive right into the dental field,” said instructor Cynthia Flores.\n\nThe students partnered with the California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation, a state-wide organization that works to provide needy California residents quality dental care through free dental clinics.  Students assisted with all aspects of the Modesto clinic, escorting patients between stations, printing x-rays and working in the numbing area.\n\n“I know if something is sponsored by the CDA, it will be well organized and well attended,” said Flores.  “Helping those in need is something they won’t forget…they came back with even more interest in dentistry – you could hear the excitement in their voices.”\n\nThe students were both nervous and excited going in to the event as first term DAs.\n\n“I’m glad I did it and can say I was a part of something so important,” said student Danielle Tingler.  “Seeing all the patients happy because they were getting something they needed for so long was very rewarding.”\n\nFellow student Patricia Botella agreed: “My favorite part of the day was helping people - and to see those people look at me and say ‘thank you for volunteering.’”\n\nTingler recommends the experience to other DA students as well.  “You meet a lot of people, maybe even some you could work for.  I can’t wait for the next one!”\n\nTo find about more about the CDA Foundation’s free clinics and ways to get involved, visit their website at <a href="http://www.cdafoundation.org">www.cdafoundation.org</a>.\n\nGreat job, SJVC Visalia!', 'First Term DA Students Volunteer', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'first-term-da-students-volunteer', '', '', '2012-06-01 20:38:07', '2012-06-01 20:38:07', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=236', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(9137, 7, '2012-06-04 19:07:10', '2012-06-05 02:07:10', 'Although nearly 9-year-old Johan was not quite sure what all the excitement was about, he was clearly basking in the loving attention of students at<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu"> San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC</a>) – the people responsible for his 9<sup>th</sup> birthday party.\n\n“The whole experience was awesome and I know it meant a lot to my son,” said appreciative mom, Myriam Guerra.  Myriam and husband Sergio were approached by SJVC students wanting to both help a family and learn more about autism through shared experience. Autism is a group of serious developmental problems that appear in early childhood, usually before the age of three.\n\nStudent members of SJVC’s HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) club at the Temecula campus are committed to community service and volunteerism.  Each month the students focus their efforts on helping and supporting a compelling cause in their community. April was National Autism Awareness month so Clinical and Medical Assisting student and HOSA President, Ronnie Gabriel, set out to find a family with an autistic child who might share their experience with students and participate in an educational program and presentation.\n\nA Facebook request brought Gabriel into contact with the Guerra family who were generous with their willingness to participate and help educate SJVC students about autism. When it was discovered that Johan, the Guerra’s autistic son, was about to have a birthday, HOSA students put together several fundraisers, including bake sales, photo shoot raffles and Cans for Caring, and began soliciting donations for a special celebration.\n\n“Each month HOSA members raise money and volunteers their time for an agency, such as the American Heart Association or Mental Health Awareness,” says Gabriel.\n\nThis month, the Guerro family was given over $300 and family tickets to Disneyland/California Adventure and Seaworld/Legoland, as well as donations of haircuts, spa treatments (for parents), movie tickets and dinner certificates – but what the family truly appreciated was the opportunity for students to better understand autism.\n\n“We were able to spread and increase awareness about autism, which is really needed,” said Guerra. “I know he (Johan) knows that all those people were there to see him and to learn about him and autism; I could tell by the way he was acting.”\n\nDuring the event, <a title="SJVC Medical Programs" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-programs/">SJVC Medical program </a>students learned about autism through a presentation Gabriel made that included a touching video Gabriel put together about Johan’s life and progress.\n\n“I hope this event inspires my fellow students to spread and increase the awareness of autism and  motivates them to make a difference,” said Gabriel.\n\n“Our Temecula campus honored Autism Awareness Month with an informative and meaningful event,” said Robyn Whiles, Temecula Campus Director. Throughout the month, HOSA’s fundraising efforts and requests for donations<em> </em>benefitted a family, while instilling in them the importance of working toward a shared cause. “The outstanding effort touched the entire campus as they learned about living with autism and met a family who shared real life experience,” said Whiles.', 'Temecula Celebrates Autism Awareness with Birthday Party', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '239', '', '', '2012-06-04 19:07:10', '2012-06-05 02:07:10', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=239', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(243, 7, '2012-06-12 20:33:19', '2012-06-13 03:33:19', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jy.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-244" title="jy" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jy-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" /></a>“We would have been backed up on work if <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s students had not volunteered.”  (-Conner Troy, The Outreach Farm Project)\n\nActive participation in the community is nothing new for SJVC students, but the places and ways students volunteer for the community is always changing.\n\n<a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/">SJVC Temecula </a>students volunteered with the Outreach Farm Project this month, a non-profit organization that supplies the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission with fresh, locally grown produce.\n\nFounded in the spring of 2009 when the recession’s impact was devastating families throughout the U.S., the Outreach Farm Project seeks to meet the needs of those struggling to obtain the basics of food and shelter.  Three acres are dedicated in partnership with a local flower farm and the farm manager''s family to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to help supplement the Rescue Mission''s food distribution program.\n\nThe Outreach Farm Project is run entirely on donation and volunteers, from ground preparation to seeds, supplies and labor to crop harvest.  Over 150,000 pounds of produce has been donated to the Rescue Mission in the last three years.\n\n“I loved having the opportunity to join an organization that is dedicated to helping others. It has been one of the best heartfelt experiences of my life,” said ASB president Ronnie Gonzales.\n\n“Most of us felt that we could stay longer because we wanted continue helping such a great cause. There is so much we could say about this event, but the only way to completely understand and feel the rewards of this experience is definitely by participating in it - there are not enough words to describe its effects on you as a human being.”', 'New Ways to Join the Temecula Community', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'news-ways-to-join-the-temecula-community', '', '', '2012-06-12 20:33:19', '2012-06-13 03:33:19', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=243', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(248, 7, '2012-06-22 18:31:27', '2012-06-23 01:31:27', '<div>May 25 started with 1600 teams, 3,600 people and four<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu"> SJVC </a>students at the SIFE Nationals in Kansas City.  Three days later, those four SJVC students left not only as finalists for their “Let’s Can Hunger” project, but had been four of only 60 guests attending SIFE’s invitation only Silver Spoon Reception, honoring the top producing teams.“The judges and all attendees were amazed at the level of achievement from the teams,” said SIFE advisor Maryann Sebelist.The Rancho Cucamonga SIFE team put together such a strong marketing campaign on their campus to raise awareness about hunger that they were privileged to be a part of SIFE’s Nationals.\n\n“We pledged to collect and distribute a minimum of 5,000lbs of canned or dry boxed food and we more than doubled that goal,” said Sebelist.  In addition, the team created two YouTube videos that supported their mission (see links below).\n\nTheir efforts landed the SJVC team an invite to Nationals in Kansas City, where the students were able to observe competitors, network and receive various awards.  All SIFE clubs compete on one level regardless of their college, with the national competition including students from schools like SJVC as well as schools with masters and doctorate programs.\n\n“The last day was exciting as we watched the three final teams compete in the main theatre with panoramic screens,” said Sebelist.  “We watched as they responded to the judges'' questions…all were amazed at the level of achievement from the teams.  Absolutely amazing!”\n\nThe SJVC team was also invited to the Silver Spoon Reception, an awards ceremony for the top producing teams.  Only 60 guests were invited to the reception; SJVC was awarded a certificate, Silver Spoon and monetary award, after which they were able to meet the CEO of Campbell’s Soup.\n\nOther networking opportunities included meeting SIFE members from across the nation, interviewing sponsors and meeting business executives, including the President of SIFE, Donna Patterson.\n\n“Her (Patterson’s) broad experience and dynamic delivery was most impressive,” said Sebelist.\n\nThe mission statement of SIFE is "To bring together the top leaders of today and tomorrow to create a better, more sustainable world through the positive power of business."\n\n“This goal was never more evident than when we were watching these winning teams present their accomplishments,” added Sebelist.\n\n“All the judges were executives from the many corporate sponsors present.  Needless to say, we could not have achieved this without our Director, Ms. Sherril Hein, all participating SJVC campuses, The Lions Club and Sam’s Club all working together to can hunger.”\n\nCongrats to our SJVC Rancho Cucamonga SIFE team on a job well done!\n\n<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwcNdTHmuy8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwcNdTHmuy8</a>\n<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mD1d4MZO1s">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mD1d4MZO1s</a>\n\n</div>', 'Rancho Cucamonga SIFE Finalists at Nationals', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'rancho-cucamonga-sife-finalists-at-nationals', '', '', '2012-06-22 18:31:27', '2012-06-23 01:31:27', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=248', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(251, 7, '2012-06-25 21:52:36', '2012-06-26 04:52:36', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-252" title="Photos 1" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Photos-1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /><a title="SJVC" href="http://sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> students are regulars in community service, but it’s not every day they pass off a $2,500 check.\n\n<a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">SJVC Bakersfield</a> recently saw the completion of their largest CAMA (AMT) club volunteer project to date – over $2000 raised through the efforts of 30 students for the NICU at the San Joaquin Community Hospital.\n\n“We had never undertaken a project of this magnitude before and we were determined to be successful,” said club advisor Steven Prince.\n\nOver the course of the last year, the CAMA (AMT) clubs hosted various fundraisers, including a big Hawaiian Luau last July and a Halloween “Spooktacular” carnival in October.  Both events were open to the public and drew in many SJVC student and their families.  Supplemented by food sales to evening students, the goal of $2500 was raised to help the hospital purchase “Penguin Warmers” for their neo-natal intensive care unit.  These warmers aid babies in digestion and help preemies conserve vital calories.\n\n“[The students] learned the value of working together as a team and the power of communication,” said Prince.  Participating students Jamie Biehl and Michelle Garcia-Pitts agree.\n\n“I was with the fundraiser from the very start,” said Biehl.  “It was a learning and amazing experience.  I learned how to organize events and ask business for donations in a professional manner and how to work with and delegate jobs to others. I found that a little hard work can go a long way.”\n\nSaid Garcia-Pitts, “Working on the NICU fundraiser…gave me the opportunity to do something valuable for my community.  It taught me different forms of communication and I learned the value of teamwork. The experience and pleasure I gained from fundraising was substantially more valuable to me than anything I could ever express with words.  The experience I take with me will last me a lifetime and has made me a better person.”\n\nThe hospital was thrilled to accept the check and provides many volunteer opportunities for any who would like to get involved.  For more information, check out <a href="http://www.sjch.us/">www.sjch.us</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SJCHBakersfield">www.facebook.com/SJCHBakersfield</a>', 'Students Donate Over $2K To Bakersfield Hospital', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'students-donate-over-2k-to-bakersfield-hospital', '', '', '2012-06-25 21:52:36', '2012-06-26 04:52:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=251', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(259, 7, '2012-07-10 20:29:14', '2012-07-11 03:29:14', 'Disabled and elderly patients at the Manor Care facility in Hemet enjoyed the time and attention of several Temecula <a title="SJVC Medical Programs" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-programs/">medical students</a> earlier this month when a half-dozen students volunteered a few hours as part of their HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) membership on campus.\n\n<a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/">SJVC Temecula’s </a>HOSA student-members are committed to lending a helping-hand in their communities in preparation for a career in the service of others. Volunteerism is a primary part of HOSA membership and students regularly contribute their time and support to groups, facilities, causes and agencies that benefit those in need.\n\nStudents were enthusiastic as they engaged Manor Care patients in activities such as singing, coloring and Bingo; and residents were also treated to a violin performance by Anne Balsar, SJVC student and HOSA member. A ‘thank-you’ card students received from Bonny, one of the Manor Care patients, said it all: “Smiling faces are always welcome here. You took your time to spend time with me. That touches my heart.”\n\nStudents found that the time spent with these elderly or incapacitated patients was very rewarding and hope to visit the facility again soon and with a new plan for activities and prizes. “It felt really good to bring so many smiles, just from us being there and dedicating our time to them (patients),” says one of the student volunteers.<strong> </strong>\n\n&nbsp;', 'HOSA in Hemet', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hosa-in-hemet', '', '', '2012-07-10 20:29:14', '2012-07-11 03:29:14', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=259', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(262, 7, '2012-07-09 21:10:28', '2012-07-10 04:10:28', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/plane_jpg.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-263" title="plane_jpg" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/plane_jpg-300x224.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a>Early this summer, a T-34B aircraft from the Lemoore Navy Flying Club flew to the <a title="SJVC Aviation" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-campus/">SJVC Aviation Campus </a>at the Fresno Airport and spent a few days in our school. It really added some class and bling to our hangar!\n\nDuring its stay, our <a title="Aviation Maintenance Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-maintenance-technology/">Aviation Maintenance Technology </a>(AMT) instructors, Lionel Smith, Larry Kenitzer, Don Dutra, and Jason Alves (who is also our Academic Dean), performed an annual inspection on the vintage plane. In addition to being full-time instructors at SJVC, Lionel serves as the Navy Flying Club’s Maintenance Officer while Jason and Larry are volunteer mechanics with the club.\n\nThe inspection of visiting aircraft gave the AMT students a chance to see real-world problems that arise in older aircraft while at the same time, providing a golden opportunity for professional development for the instructors.\n\nWe tell our students to be prepared to back up their work because they just don’t know when they’ll be flying onboard the aircraft they just serviced. Indeed, when CDR Todd Nelson arrived from the club to perform the maintenance check-flight required of this aircraft, he asked Larry Kenitzer, who signed off on the annual inspection, to jump in the back seat and join him.\n\nOne of the many checks required is a 3G maneuver (imagine being in a flying rollercoaster) to check the landing gear uplocks. All systems performed well and you couldn’t wipe the smile off Mr. Kenitzer’s face at the end of the flight. We hope to see that beautiful yellow aircraft back in our hangar in the future.\n\n-Jack MacFarlene', 'Recently at Aviation...', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'recently-at-aviation', '', '', '2012-07-09 21:10:28', '2012-07-10 04:10:28', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=262', 0, 'post', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts_bak` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(266, 7, '2012-08-17 01:45:36', '2012-08-17 08:45:36', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-271" title="IMG_1694" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IMG_1694-300x153.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="153" /><a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> is bringing its career education and training programs to Ontario. Currently in Rancho Cucamonga, this SJVC campus is making the 3.2 mile move to better serve its students and increase community awareness of its presence.\n\nThe new campus, scheduled for build completion in August 2013, is located at 4580 Ontario Mills Parkway. At the intersection of Freeways 15 and 10, it will provide greater visibility and easier access for students and visitors. “The freeway frontage property will allow us to move from a low visibility area to a very high visibility advantage,” says Steve Perry, SJVC''s Director of Real Estate Development.\n\nThe new 2-story, 50,000 sq.ft. building will sit on 5 ½ acres and provide 400 parking stalls to better accommodate the student population, staff, faculty and visitors. SJVC’s campus structure will comply with all green standards and requirements, which will ensure that equipment and materials will enjoy more efficient energy consumption.\n\n“Our new building design is beautiful and places a particular emphasis on student gathering places,” says Sherril Hein, Campus Director. “Our indoor student center will provide student study, lounging and eating areas and our large outside patio is perfect for single or group gatherings,” she says.\n\n“We have a lot to bring to our new community,” says Mrs. Hein. “We have excellent, degree-granting programs, are <a title="Accreditation" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/accreditation/">WASC</a> (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accredited, and will provide a new resource for those seeking higher education and career training, that they may not have had before,” she says.\n\nThe City of Ontario will also benefit from their new business tenant, as will local real estate brokers, contractors, future students and employers who hire well-qualified graduates. “The City of Ontario has been very welcoming to us and eager to have us be part of the community,” says Hein, whose campus has been an Ontario Chamber of Commerce member for many years.\n\n&nbsp;', 'Rancho Cucamonga Breaks Ground!', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'rancho-cucamonga-breaks-ground', '', '', '2012-08-17 01:45:36', '2012-08-17 08:45:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=266', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(274, 7, '2012-08-29 17:04:58', '2012-08-30 00:04:58', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IMG299.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-275" title="IMG299" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IMG299-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>The <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> campus took initiative in healthy eating this summer with a “Healthy Food Cooking Fest,” held this past August on campus.\n\nThe purpose was to demonstrate to the AMTSS members and guests how to cook healthy food by including a variety of vegetables and fruits. Additionally, the event raised funds and collected non-perishable food items for the SJVC Food Pantry.\n\nAMTSS members arrived early in the morning to set-up and help with the preparation of a variety of appetizers and main dishes. They also helped with the clean-up after the event.\n\n“The students performed an amazing job,” said lead AMTSS advisor and <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">CAMA </a>instructor Sujanalatha De Almeida.  “I commend them for their efforts and dedication to this project.”\n\nThe Student Lounge looked colorful and attractive with baskets of vegetables and fruits. There was a rich, attractive spread of finger sandwiches, fruit salsa, and hummus with crackers, grapes, cantaloupe, and decadent zucchini soup.\n\nCAMA Instructor Mary Wainio demonstrated how to prepare Orzo Salad and Asian Chicken Salad, while De Almedia demonstrated a simple shrimp dish, garnished with spices from India. The shrimp was served on a bed of penne pasta and accompanied by sautéed Summer Squash Medley. The students were also introduced to Quinoa (an ancient grain grown by the Incas about 2000 years ago). This was served with chicken curry.\n\nDessert was more fruit - sliced cantaloupe and grapes.\n\n“This was a fun event,” said De Almeida, “and the students and guests enjoyed the food, just as much as Ms. Wainio and I enjoyed cooking the food. I would like to thank Mary Wainio for being such a talented cook. Thanks to Chris Foster for the tasty cucumber and cream-cheese sandwiches, and the watermelon and mango fruit salad.”\n\nHippocrates, the Father of Medicine, wrote: <em>“Let Thy Food be Thy Medicine. Let Thy Medicine by Thy Food.”</em>', 'Visalia Food Fest: Healthy Edition', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'visalia-food-fest-healthy-edition', '', '', '2012-08-29 17:04:58', '2012-08-30 00:04:58', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=274', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(277, 7, '2012-08-28 18:00:01', '2012-08-29 01:00:01', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DSCN2992.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-278" title="DSCN2992" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DSCN2992-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Sujanalatha De Almeida was recently recognized by the American Medical Technologists (AMT) at the AMT’s 74<sup>th</sup> National meeting in San Antonio, TX, as their Registered Medical Assistant of the Year. This award is based on the provision of extraordinary service and contributions on all levels within AMT, and to the Medical Assisting profession and total care community.\n\nEvery U.S. state nominated a candidate for this award and over 450 attendees watched proud recipients, as they were recognized for achievements in their medical career fields.\n\nEach year the AMT honors selected Registered Medical Technologists and Technicians nationwide and publishes news of their awards in their <em>Events </em>magazine. Sujanalatha De Almeida is also a recipient of many State honors, including the Distinguished Achievement Award, Exceptional Merit, The Pinnacle Award, Registered Phlebotomy Technology Award of the Year, Hands Across America Mission Award and Appreciation Award. She is a past president and vice president and current Board member of the California State Society of American Medical Technologists. “I am honored and humbled by being chosen to receive the RMA of the Year award by AMT,” says De Almeida. “This award presents the challenge of living up to the expectations of this prestigious award and its principles of character and integrity.”\n\nMrs. De Almeida, RMA, RPT, was certified in 1988 and has been an instructor for<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu"> San Joaquin Valley College’s </a>Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting program in <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> since 1991.  Her students benefit from her education, skill and experience gained in the medical assisting field and in the college’s classrooms and labs. “It has been a privilege to be an instructor at San Joaquin Valley College in Visalia, CA,” she says. “The support and encouragement that I have received from my colleagues and administrators is incomparable. It is my goal to continue to serve at the State and National levels and to strive for excellence in teaching,” says De Almeida.\n\nHer quest for accomplishment in her field continues as she pursues her BA degree in Management and Organizational Development. “I believe in life-long learning, and I hope to earn a Master’s in Health Administration,” says Mrs. De Almeida.', 'SJVC Medical Assisting Instructor Recognized', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-medical-assisting-instructor-recognized', '', '', '2012-08-28 18:00:01', '2012-08-29 01:00:01', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=277', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(280, 7, '2012-08-29 18:54:37', '2012-08-29 18:54:37', '<div>\n\n<img class="alignleft" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux7m5wlplm8/UDzwyRxOX9I/AAAAAAAAACQ/FknjcsCil18/s320/Award.JPG" width="240" height="320" border="0" />This year’s Clinical Educator of the year award was given to <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">SJVC’s Fresno </a>surgical technology clinical coordinator, Jennifer Nyswonger.  Educator of the Year award recognizes outstanding educators who dedicate their lives towards their job, students and peers.  Jennifer works in a close department that has bonded due to the fact that they all have the same goal; to help their students. If a student needs help she is always willing to help them regardless of if they are her students or not.\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n“We are more than willing to go above and beyond for our students,” explains Jennifer. She hopes that by winning this award <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC</a> students realize that there really are instructors that are fully committed to their job.  “Ms. Nyswonger exhibits the best and highest possible standards and that her work ethic is above reproach,” explains program director Teri Junge.  “Her dedication to her profession is evident in all she does.” Teri nominated Jennifer for this award and is thrilled that she has won.\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\nJennifer was announced the winner at a national convention in Washington D.C. Although she was not able to attend the convention, she was sent an award with her name engraved on it as well as five hundred dollars.  Since joining SJVC, Jennifer has made a positive impact on her students and fellow employees. While currently working on receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Education degree, she is able to take what she is learning in her classes into the classroom.\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n As a result of her commitment to surgical technology education and her enhanced teaching skills, she has increased the CST exam pass rate for our graduates to 94%. She is a self-directed individual who is well respected by her students and peers.  Teri is quick to say that, “Ms. Nyswonger is a self-directed individual who is well respected by her students and peers!”\n\n</div>', 'Clinical Educator of the Year Award Given to SJVC Coordinator', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'clinical-educator-of-the-year-award-given-to-sjvc-coordinator', '', '', '2012-08-29 18:54:37', '2012-08-29 18:54:37', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=280', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(698, 9, '2012-06-23 20:16:32', '2012-06-23 20:16:32', '&nbsp;\n\n[caption id="attachment_699" align="alignnone" width="290"]<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Annie.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-699" title="Annie" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Annie-290x214.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="214" /></a> Annie, first row and third from left, in Washington D.C. with fellow SJVC students.[/caption]\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s easy to lose sight of the end when you’re in the middle, but<a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/"> SJVC</a> graduate Annie Ferla is proof that the end – finishing school– is worth every step of the middle.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“It is refreshing to know if you have a goal in mind, a wish list of what you want, and you work hard enough you will land your dream job,”says the Visalia campus Health Care Administration graduate. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annie was offered a job even before she finished her extern and last term of school. For a few months she juggled roles as student, employee and a mother of two, but she knew the end result would be worth every overwhelming moment.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annie is now where all college students hope to be after graduation: working a job she loves, for someone who, according to her,“couldn’t be a cooler doctor. She’s nice, she’s funny and she takes care of her employees.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annie has already made huge differences in the doctor’s office. From the outset the office admitted to have serious cash flow problems. Using the skills she learned in school, Annie recovered thousands of dollars for the office in only three months. Her efficiency and training has allowed her to replace two other employees from the office. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annie’s success and confidence in her skills has allowed to her find high degrees of satisfaction in her work. “I love picking up the mail in the afternoon and seeing money come in that was previously just sitting in a file and giving this to the doctor and seeing her face light up,” said Annie.“I’ve helped to take a lot of stress off both my doctor and the company.” </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although Annie had seven years bar tending experience previous to SJCV, it was not the professional job she was proud to tell her kids about.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I am not just doing customer service jobs anymore,” said Annie. “I have a big girl job now, not a frilly little kid job”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a college education and a stable job she is now able to give her kids a better life. She is grateful she can show them that she started going to school, finished and now has professional job.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her advice for students mid-program?</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Nothing that’s worth it comes easy. You can’t be handed a job on a silver platter, you have to work for it. Stick with it and you’ll get recognized, you’ll get offered a trip to Washington D.C, you’ll get offered a job. Walking across that stage at graduation and knowing you did all the work will be an amazing feeling.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After seeing a commercial for <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/">SJVC</a>, Annie jumped right into school. Finishing the program in 14 months, Annie urges students to push through the quick, condensed schedule and not take days off here and there. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You can’t miss a couple of days and decide to take a leave of absence. You have to stick with it. If you don’t work hard for this you won’t go anywhere.” </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annie takes pride in how successful she was while a student at SJVC. Being a 4.0 student with perfect attendance and being picked to go on the Washington D.C trip, this was a huge change from not finishing high school and only completing three years of junior college.</span>\n\nFrom day one she knew she was going to love billing and coding. She is grateful for the training SJVC has provided.She believes without the program she would not understand everything that is essential for her job.\n\nCongrats Annie! We’re proud of you too!', 'Nothing That''s Woth It Comes Easy', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'nothing-thats-woth-it-comes-easy', '', '', '2012-06-23 20:16:32', '2012-06-23 20:16:32', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=698', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(709, 9, '2012-06-24 20:21:12', '2012-06-24 20:21:12', '<div>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id="attachment_710" align="alignnone" width="290"]<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Hillari.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-710" title="Hillari" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Hillari-290x180.jpg" width="290" height="180" /></a> Hillari Shaw, SJVC student-now-business-owner, stands tall with parts of her support system on either side.[/caption]\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Graduating college is a huge step in one’s life - and creating your own business after graduating is an even bigger step. Modesto Therapeutic Massage student Hillari Shaw knows what it takes in order to open her own business.</span>\n\n</div>\n <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shaw enrolled in <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC’s</a> program with a focused plan to open her own business. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“This was not a dream for me as a job, but rather a dream to incorporate a new lifestyle,” stated Shaw. Envisioning a toxin-free environment to give massages, she thought there was no better place than SJVC to start her education.Her steady focus and motivating drive kept her dedicated to her schoolwork and eager to make her dream reality.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I collected a vision in my mind, transferred it to paper and made it a reality by accepting no less than what I had imagined,” said Shaw.She knew it would not be an easy task but with her classmates, whom she referred to as her own family, and Dean Amy Courtwright, she had the positivity and extra push to attempt her goals. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The day after finishing her last clinic at SJVC, she opened the doors to her new business, “Shh…Studio”. Turning the key on January 31 to open her own studio was a moment Shaw will never forget. It was the day she was finally able to see her dream as reality in a beautiful studio that showed her own personality and style.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I hope that experiencing the ambiance of my studio will give people a whole new "take" on massage. I offer an organic, toxin-free environment with the appearance of the inside of a Moroccan tent - a personalized pampering session with upscale appeal.” </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Congrats, Hillari!We are proud of you!</span>', 'From Student to Business Owner', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'from-student-to-business-owner', '', '', '2012-06-24 20:21:12', '2012-06-24 20:21:12', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=709', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(760, 9, '2012-07-12 16:57:17', '2012-07-12 16:57:17', '<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/heros-breakfast-picture.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-761" title="heros breakfast picture" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/heros-breakfast-picture-290x239.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="239" /></a>“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Many job seekers and students have heard that saying time and time again, but <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a>Visalia Criminal Justice students Lizbeth Gomez and Dnae Blow capitalized on the idea.</span>\n\n <span style="font-family: Calibri;">The two attended a Hero’s Breakfast held at Quail Park; to honor law enforcement members in the community. The ceremony started by thanking the heroes for their commitment to the community. The members of the organizations were presented to the attendees while everyone enjoyed breakfast.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout the breakfast, the students visited with the officers and some of the residents of Quail Park.</span>\n\n <span style="font-family: Calibri;">“There was a lot of socializing, with different police departments, fire departments, and paramedics from all of Tulare County together laughing while eating breakfast,” explains Dnae. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While meeting different officers Lizbeth said she, “realized how important it is for our Heroes to feel appreciated.” By watching how the officers interacted with one another, the students learned how to present themselves in a professional manner.</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I felt special being surrounded by all types of law enforcement, and especially liked the comment that maybe next year we could attend the breakfast again,” said Lizbeth. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Our two students looked great,” stated Laura Lathrop, director of the <a title="Criminal Justice: Corrections" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/criminal-justice-corrections/">criminal justice </a>program. “They had an opportunity to rub elbows with Visalia PD, Fire, Ambulance, Tulare County Sheriff and CHP.”</span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To show the community’s appreciation for the heroes’ work, baskets were raffled off. The first basket to be raffled off was the one that SJVC donated. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“It took both Sgt. Blow and me to carry it,’ explained Lizbeth, “And they were really grateful for the basket- which happened to be the largest one there!”. Both Dnae and Lizbeth believe the Sheriff Deputy was very lucky to win their basket. </span>\n\n<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lizbeth and Dnae feel honored to have been involved with this event. They hope to attend again, and encourage others to get involved and keep appreciating the hard, life-threatening work the heroes do. </span>', 'Visalia Criminal Justice students attend the Hero''s Breakfast', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'visalia-criminal-justice-students-attend-the-heros-breakfast', '', '', '2012-07-12 16:57:17', '2012-07-12 16:57:17', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=760', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(286, 7, '2012-09-05 16:39:07', '2012-09-05 16:39:07', '<a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Clinical Medical Assisting</a> (CMA) students in <a title="SJVC Hanford" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/hanford/">Hanford</a> don’t want to wait until they graduate to experience work in a medical or residential care facility. This summer, SJVC CMA students, accompanied by two instructors, spent several hours touring four local medical and community resource facilities to learn first-hand what it is like to be on the front-lines of providing care to those in need.\n\nThe United Way’s <em>Day of Caring</em>, Salvation Army, Fresno’s Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera invited SJVC’s Clinical Medical Assisting students to tour their facilities and interact with staff and patients to better understand the career path these SJVC students have chosen.\n\nLaura Cervantez, CMA instructor says, “These health care and family resource facilities opened up the scope of practice for our students and gave them a chance to network with staff and better familiarize themselves with a workforce they will soon be joining.”\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/United-Way.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-288" title="United Way" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/United-Way-300x179.jpg" width="300" height="179" /></a>United Way’s <em>Day of Caring</em> and the Salvation Army</strong>\n\nCMA instructors Laura Cervantez and Susan DeLong took 25-students to various elder care facilities in Hanford and Lemoore as part of their students’ career introduction and hands-on participation in patient care. Students engaged residents in various fun activities, including providing manicures and reading favorite books. Students ended the day by helping the Salvation Army with their Back-to-School Fair.\n\n“It was a great day and the quality of care our students provided brought great satisfaction to all those in need; and I know our students learned that today,” says Mrs. Cervantez.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ronald-McDonald-House.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-289" title="Ronald McDonald House" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ronald-McDonald-House-179x300.jpg" width="179" height="300" /></a></strong><strong>Ronald McDonald House</strong>\n\nFresno’s Ronald McDonald House has long been known for the little or no-cost home-away-from-home it provides families whose child is hospitalized.  With 67-rooms the house has been a generous resource for so many families sitting vigil during the day and seeking a restful refuge at night. CMA students enjoyed touring the house and children’s playground and meeting families in residence, as well as employees who are looking forward to moving into the new Ronald McDonald house that will accommodate 185 families.\n\n“Our students were very engaged, asked a lot of questions and were very touched by the experience,” says Cervantez.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Children’s Hospital Central California</strong>\n\nLaura Cervantez and Corinna Avina (both instructors) took 19 eager CMA students to Children’s Hospital in Madera to tour the medical lab, emergency room and urology clinic. Many students were so interested in the hospital and impressed with its staff and level of care that they signed up to volunteer their time and skills in various departments.\n\nSan Joaquin Valley College has always believed in and supported career-oriented field trips and student volunteerism. A large part of classroom and laboratory education and training focuses on hands-on or experiential learning. SJVC is pleased to provide students with opportunities to explore their fields of study in actual care facilities.', 'Medical Students In The Field', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'medical-students-in-the-field', '', '', '2012-09-05 16:39:07', '2012-09-05 16:39:07', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=286', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(292, 7, '2012-09-06 20:37:21', '2012-09-07 03:37:21', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/photo-62.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-295" title="photo-6" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/photo-62-300x180.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="180" /></a> Compassion and desire are big components of success for students at <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>.  Volunteering in industry-relevant events is one way students develop that desire.\n\nThanks to dental instructor Cindy Flores, <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">SJVC Visalia’s </a>dental students had the opportunity to participate in the second California Dental Association’s Cares Event.\n\nThe Cares Event is a free dental clinic. This year’s event took place in Sacramento, California. Thirteen dental assistant students had the opportunity to go to the event.\n\n"I wanted to wake up the compassion in their hearts and also offer them a chance to dive right into the dental field,” said Cindy.  And the event was successful at doing just that! CDA Cares gave students a chance to help people who need it but cannot afford it.\n\nWith over 2,000 participants and over 10,000 procedures, the volunteers, professionals and students truly make a huge impact.\n\nCindy spent hours researching places where her students could volunteer in a dental setting. After touring the website, she was incredibly impressed with the CDA’s Cares Event and what they were offering.\n\n“Free dental care is hard to find. So many California residents have dental insurance, thus increasing the need,” explained Cindy. Another reason she decided to work with CDA was because it was a well organized and attended event that she knew her students would experience a lot of knowledge and positivity.\n\nThe Cares Event gave the students a chance to use the skills they have been taught in school to help people who need it. Helping those people who were so grateful was a truly rewarding and successful time for the SJVC students.\n\nCindy found the event incredibly helpful for her students.\n\n“They came back with even more interest in dentistry.  You could hear the excitement in their voices,” she explained. “They came back with many stories to tell about patients.”\n\n<em>Great Job Visalia <a title="Dental Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-assistant/">Dental Assistant </a>students!</em>', 'Visalia Dental Assistant Students Participate in CDA Cares Event', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'visalia-dental-hygiene-students-participate-in-cda-cares-event', '', '', '2012-09-06 20:37:21', '2012-09-07 03:37:21', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=292', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(303, 7, '2012-09-14 20:27:43', '2012-09-15 03:27:43', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/271420_388525417880726_342838540_o.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-304" title="271420_388525417880726_342838540_o" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/271420_388525417880726_342838540_o-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>It’s not every day a campus hosts the mayor and opens a no-cost “Professional Closet” for its students – but that’s exactly what happened at the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield </a>campus last week.\n\nWhen Chelsea Esquibias interviewed for the Career Services Department Manager’s positiona few months ago, one of the questions she was asked was about what she might do to best serve SJVC student needs. That question stuck in her mind and was the seed for an idea to help students prepare for the job market in the way they dress, as well as academically. With that in mind <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s Professional Closet got its start on campus.\n\nBakersfield mayor, Harvey Hall, helped to launch the Professional Closet campaign with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on campus and lauded the idea for meeting an important need.\n\nChelsea Esquibias echoed his sentiment when she said, “Many of our students are struggling financially and can really benefit from a little help toward looking, as well as feeling, like they belong in their new career.”\n\nStudents, staff and faculty – as well as employers with whom the college works to place students – have rallied to fill the closet for male and female students about to make their workplace debut. To supplement the racks of clothing being collected, Bakersfield campus students have held fundraisers over the past 3-months to purchase additional pieces to round out the selections, as well as basic hygiene supplies.\n\n"Having a closet that is so convenient and open to all of the students that need it no matter what time or day, is great,” says student Jamie Biehl.\n\nBecause of the variety of career training programs offerred at the Bakersfield campus, the range of appropriate work clothing spans from business and business-casual to medical uniforms and industry appropriate work wear. Students are collecting clothing from relatives and friends who are in occupations that mirror the clothing needs of soon-to-be-graduating students.\n\n"The campus support, once the call was made, has been phenomenal,” says Kelly Walters, Campus Director. “As a campus, we have spectacular support in donating and making the closet a success.”\n\nAny donations of gently-used clothing can be made to the college through Chelsea Esquibias by calling the campus: 661/834-0126 or thorugh the Corporate office by calling Lauren Haney: 559/623-4816.', 'Bakersfield Opens Professional Closet with Mayor', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'bakersfield-opens-professional-closet-with-mayor', '', '', '2012-09-14 20:27:43', '2012-09-15 03:27:43', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=303', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(307, 7, '2012-09-21 18:05:18', '2012-09-22 01:05:18', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-308" title="image001" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/image001-300x224.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /><a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">San Joaquin Valley College </a>Fresno staff and student volunteers can take a deep bow for their performance Saturday, September 8<sup>th</sup> at the Warnors Theatre on Fulton Street. Nine volunteers rolled up their sleeves and grabbed vacuums, gum-scrapers and handi-wipes to bring a shine back to the historical downtown theatre as part of the United Way’s <em>Day of Caring.</em>\n\nSJVC’s volunteer team spent the day cleaning the theatre, wiping down all 2,100 seats, vacuuming the carpet and seats, wiping down walls and doors, sweeping and scraping gum off the floors inside and outside entry and cleaning inside service areas.\n\n“A big <strong>thank you </strong>to San Joaquin Valley College who helped convey the vision and message of United Way, which is mobilizing the caring power of communities,” says Melissa Tav, Marketing and Resource Development Assistant for United Way.\n\nSJVC <em>Day of Caring </em>volunteers were Kim Soares, Kim Dickson, Sat Sohal, Sandra LeCorre, Minerva Zepeda, Maybo Heu, Chris Barger, Frank Phillips (all staff) and Nicholas Martinez, a Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration (HVACR) program student.\n\n“The Warnors Theatre was built in 1928 and we are glad we have had an opportunity to be a part of the preservation and restoration of this historic theatre,” says SJVC volunteer Maybo Heu. “Our team saw that there was a lot of work to do and worked extra hard to make sure that the work was completed. Everyone did a great job and look forward to volunteering again next year.”\n\nGreat job, SJVC Fresno!', 'Students Shine at Warnors Theatre', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'students-shine-at-warnors-theatre', '', '', '2012-09-21 18:05:18', '2012-09-22 01:05:18', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=307', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(312, 7, '2012-10-16 22:06:42', '2012-10-16 22:06:42', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DENTAL-ASSISTING-STUDENTS1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-314" title="DENTAL ASSISTING STUDENTS" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DENTAL-ASSISTING-STUDENTS1-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a>Our DA students are out and about again!\n\n<a title="Dental Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-assistant/">SJVC Dental assisting</a> students got yet another opportunity this year to participate in the community – this time at Kids Fair 2012.\n\nKids Fair is sponsored by Tulare County Association of Realtors and is a yearly event in Visalia held to promote raising healthy kids.  The event supports The Jeff Barnes Brain Injury Foundation and the Salvation Army-Visalia.\n\nSJVC DA students had the chance to educate the kids on how to brush and gave nutritional information on healthy and unhealthy snacks.\n\nJulie Hill, the <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> SJVC Dental Assisting Clinical Coordinator, organized the SJVC booth while students Scott Garza, Alyssa Flores and Alejandra Calderon spent their time educating children and their parents on how to properly take care of their teeth.\n\n“You can see the enjoyment on our student’s faces while teaching the children! I love that,” exclaimed Cynthia Flores SJVC’s RDH.\n\nThe kids really enjoyed the interaction with the puppets, which showed the kids how to brush teeth. Our students really enjoy giving back to the community.\n\n“I know the children had a lot of fun because they kept coming back to brush the teeth of the stuffed animals,” explained dental assisting student Alyssa Flores.\n\nIn addition to teaching them tips to have healthier dental hygiene, they gave out toothbrushes and toothpaste.  SJVC was represented well to the entire community!\n\n“It was a lot of fun,” exclaimed Alyssa, “answering the parents and kids questions made me feel important to someone’s life!”\n\n<em> </em><em>Great Job SJVC Dental Assisting Students!</em>', 'Dental Assisting Students Participate in the Kid''s Fair', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'dental-assisting-students-participate-in-the-kids-fair', '', '', '2012-10-16 22:06:42', '2012-10-16 22:06:42', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=312', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(318, 7, '2012-11-02 19:52:46', '2012-11-03 02:52:46', 'SJVC Visalia celebrated National Medical Assistants Week, Oct. 15-19, with week-long activities, community recognition and a special ceremony for <a title="Medical Assisting at SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/program/Clinical_and_Administrative_Medical_Assisting/" target="_blank">Medical Assisting program</a> students who took part in honoring their future profession.\n\nThe MA<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0196.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-319" title="IMG_0196" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0196-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> program chose “Medical Assistants, you make a difference!” as their theme this year. “Our students are the promise of tomorrow in this field,” says Cecilia Avalos, MA instructor. “During National Medical Assistants Week, we honored our past, present and our future.”\n\nMany of the almost 200 students enrolled in SJVC’s MA program enjoyed a week of activities that included a “Healthy Eating” event that demonstrated healthy food choices and cooking techniques.  Mary Ann Cuellar, MA instructor, represented the college at a Visalia City Council meeting where Mayor Amy Shuklian presented San Joaquin Valley College with a proclamation plaque recognizing National Medical Assistants Week.\n\nThe week’s celebration concluded with an awards ceremony on campus where Mike Perry, SJVC’s CEO, talked to MA students about the importance of their chosen career’s impact on their communities. Students enjoyed the focus on their profession, refreshments and a drawing for prizes.', 'SJVC Celebrates MA Week', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-celebrates-ma-week', '', '', '2012-11-02 19:52:46', '2012-11-03 02:52:46', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=318', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(322, 7, '2012-11-09 17:25:48', '2012-11-10 01:25:48', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Bfield30th-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-323" title="Bfield30th-2" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Bfield30th-2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>From a few scattered buildings in a strip mall and fewer than a hundred students to the two-story, hi-tech facility with over 600 students, <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC)</a> has long been a recognized institution of quality career training in <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield</a>. This week meets the 30-year mark of providing Medical, Business and Technology career education and training programs to the local community.\n\nOn Monday, Nov. 5<sup>th</sup>, students, staff, faculty, graduates, affiliated businesses and the public-at-large were invited to celebrate this occasion on the college campus located at 201 New Stine Rd., while they enjoyed refreshments, tours and selected speakers to honor this college milestone.\n\n“The event brought a sense of community to all of us who were part of something so positive for our students, graduates and many local businesses who hire our graduates,” says Chelsea Esquibias, SJVC’s Career Services Manager on the Bakersfield campus. “So many people were here to support us and remind us what an important contribution our students make to local business and industries.”\n\nThat point was made especially clear when recent Medical Assisting graduate, Bertha Ledezma, took the podium to tell her story of struggle and eventual success. (Insert Bertha’s quote) Bertha had two job offers before she graduated and encouraged current students to stay focused to reap their eventual career rewards.\n\n“The focus and drive for our college is the success of every student,” says Bakersfield Campus Director, Kelly Walters. “We accomplish this through engagement in the classroom, hands-on learning, student support services and applied experiences in the field for most of our programs.”\n\nFor more information about SJVC’s accelerated career training programs, call the Bakersfield campus at 661/834-0126 or see <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">sjvc.edu.</a>', 'SJVC Bakersfield Celebrates 30 Years', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-bakersfield-celebrates-30-years', '', '', '2012-11-09 17:25:48', '2012-11-10 01:25:48', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=322', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(328, 7, '2012-11-21 19:32:20', '2012-11-22 03:32:20', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0217.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-329" title="IMG_0217" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0217-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Sujanalatha De Almeida was honored with the <em>Outstanding Educator of the Year </em>award last month by the California State Society of American Medical Technologists (CSSAMT), during the State Seminar held in Santa Ana, CA.\n\nThough Mrs. De Almeida has won considerable industry recognition during her 32-years in the Medical Technology field, this award was especially dear to her.\n\nAs an instructor for both the <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Clinical Medical Assisting </a>and <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting </a>programs at SJVC Visalia for 22 years, De Almeida has devoted herself to preparing others for a life-long career helping others. “I am blessed to be able to touch the lives of my students,” she says. “This award is in recognition of these years of teaching and I am truly honored by this recognition.”\n\nNominees for this prestigious award had to meet strict criteria, including CSSAMT membership in good standing, regular attendance at both state and national industry seminars and letters of recommendation from at least two colleagues or supervisors. Although Mrs. De Almeida knew there was a possibility she would be nominated, the award still took her by surprise.\n\nIt was less of a surprise to her many students who, along with the roughly 4,000 medical assisting students whose lives she has touched, have benefitted from Mrs. De Almeida’s knowledge, professionalism and dedication to their own success in the medical field.\n\nPrior to Mrs. De Almeida’s employment with <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College </a>she taught for ten years in Bangalore, India.', 'Instructor Ms. De Almeida Named Educator of the Year', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'instructor-ms-de-almedia-named-educator-of-the-year', '', '', '2012-11-21 19:32:20', '2012-11-22 03:32:20', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=328', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(333, 7, '2012-11-30 18:16:14', '2012-12-01 02:16:14', '&nbsp;\n\n<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-334" title="imagejpeg_2_6" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/imagejpeg_2_6-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" />When the Walgreens chain cast the net for volunteers to help with this year’s Flu Shot Clinic, twenty SJVC <a title="Pharmacy Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology/">Fresno Pharmacy Technology </a>(PT) program students were quick to get into line. The clinic, held on Sun., Nov. 11<sup>th</sup> at the drugstore’s downtown Fresno location, expected well over a thousand people to take advantage of their annual flu immunization provision.\n\nThe student volunteers were assigned to the registration area to provide patient intake, patient health history, drug information disclosure forms, patient rights notices, as well as create and distribute Walgreens gift bags and provide translation services. It was important that these steps be conducted promptly and accurately at the point of entry, for the entire process of immunization to run smoothly.\n\n“It was a very busy day,” says Suzi Cantrell, Career Services Advisor for the <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno </a>campus. “We had an assembly line going where we assisted Walgreens staff with all of the preliminary patient instruction and paperwork needs before we sent patients to the shot line, taking place at three tables,” says Cantrell.\n\nPT students worked in 4-hour shifts from 10:00 am-2:00 pm and 2:00 pm-6:00 pm. “Lazano Figuero, the manager of five Walgreens locations, told me that our students were doing such a good job that they should each make sure to give him a resume for future program extern or employment opportunities,” says Cantrell. Volunteerism is an important part of any student’s career training and education program at SJVC, and it is not unusual for those businesses and agencies enjoying volunteer student services to invite them to apply for a position once they graduate.\n\nIn Mr. Figuero’s ‘thank you’ message to the Pharmacy Technology class he says, “SJVC was represented well…we would not have been able to achieve our goal of 100 flu shots per hour without your help. Please thank your students for a job well done.”\n\nThe Walgreens Flu Shot Clinic served over 1200 patients during this event.', 'Students volunteer for flu shot clinic at Walgreens', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'students-volunteer-for-flu-shot-clinic-at-walgreens', '', '', '2012-11-30 18:16:14', '2012-12-01 02:16:14', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=333', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(570, 7, '2012-12-01 23:25:36', '2012-12-01 23:25:36', 'Mari<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grad-picture-with-husband-21.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-592" title="grad picture with husband (2)" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grad-picture-with-husband-21-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>a Moua was used to putting her needs last. As a teen mom she began that habit 14-years ago, and her strong sense of responsibility for others has only grown in the years since. College was one of her goals that had to take a backseat.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn early 2006 Maria and her husband, Tom Xiong, moved with their growing family of three children from Minnesota to Fresno to take care of Tom’s very ill mother. Hmong culture dictated that Tom, as the youngest of his parents’ nine children, must share the greatest responsibility for her care – which meant that Maria was next in line, while her husband worked. That experience inspired Maria to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, soon after her mother-in-law’s passing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAfter a few years working in a convalescent home environment, Maria knew she had to reach higher. She enrolled in SJVC’s <a title="Surgical Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/surgical-technology/">Surgical Technology </a>program in <a title="Fresno Campus" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno</a>, just two weeks after her fourth child was born. The whole family had to make sacrifices for her to be able to complete the intense, 16-month program.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n“You just have to tell yourself every day to pick yourself up, put one foot in front of the other and go forward,” says Maria. “If you stop, your sacrifice and everything you put your family through is for nothing.”\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe family schedule was built on precision, which included physical and speech therapy appointments for their 10-year old son, Stephan, who has special needs. Maria knows she missed a lot of her family’s life, while she was trying to complete her studies. Her 14-year old daughter, Dawn, filled in for Maria as well as she could by doing the laundry, starting dinner and other household and childcare chores. Everyone’s effort finally came to fruition.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMaria graduated at the top of her class and is now working at Madera Community Hospital in the field she loves and fought so hard to             enter. She is spending a lot of time reconnecting with her family and is happy to support her children’s dreams of college. Dawn is already taking college classes, while she is in high school.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n“I want her to do something great for herself, says Maria. “It’s her turn now.” <strong></strong>', 'Family First', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'family-first', '', '', '2012-12-01 23:25:36', '2012-12-01 23:25:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=570', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(621, 7, '2012-11-27 16:49:56', '2012-11-27 16:49:56', '                                                                                                 Javier Hernandez-O<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Javier-Hernandez.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-622" title="Javier Hernandez" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Javier-Hernandez-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>liveros does not talk about himself or his accomplishments very easily. At 19-years old and only out of high school for a year, you’d think he would be all about hanging with friends and the next good time. You’d be wrong. But you wouldn’t hear it from him.\n\n Javier doesn’t make a big deal out of what he has had to do to complete 14-months of a pretty intensive <a title="Emergency Services &amp; Safety Management" href="http://sjvc.edu/emergency-services-and-safety-management/">Emergency Services and Safety Management program </a>at the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield campus</a>. However the facts tell a different story of his weeks and months building toward graduation.\n\n Classes were Monday-Thursday, noon until 5:00 pm. Javier worked 20-hrs each week for a prevention-loss company, Fri-Sun. and volunteered as a mentor for the Kern Co. Probation Department’s Crossroads facility for juveniles Mon. and Wed. nights.  He also volunteered for crowd control and security for the Veteran’s Day Parade, Christmas Parade, Mercy Hospital’s water contamination exercises and was Coordinator for Volunteer Services for the County’s Partners of Education program. There’s more.\n\n Javier assists the wrestling coaches at Mira Monte High School and uses his old high school gym to work out 8-10 hours each week.\n\n “I’m kind of different from my friends who want to go to college and have a good time,” says Javier. He is all about focus, determination and eventual success.\n\n Javier loved the physicality and action of the ESSM program. “I especially enjoyed the firearms training, defensive tactics and physical training classes,” he says.\n\n He had to drive 7-miles from his home to the campus every time he needed to use a computer for his class assignments…which was a lot. His family has encouraged him all along the way.\n\n “My mom says, ‘You didn’t come this far to stop,’” he says. His four younger brothers and little sister were watching him closely. “Now my 12-year old brother, Eliazar, wants to be a SWAT member,” he says. “I think he’ll make it.”\n\n Although Javier is trying to get a position with Juvenile Corrections, his sights are set even higher. His long-term goal is to get his BA degree and become a Probation Officer. There is no doubt he will get there. “If you do what you’re supposed to do, it’s pretty simple,” he says.', 'Bakersfield Student Works Hard Towards ESSM Program Graduation', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '621', '', '', '2012-11-27 16:49:56', '2012-11-27 16:49:56', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=621', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(637, 7, '2012-11-29 17:06:28', '2012-11-29 17:06:28', '<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Joseph-Weaver.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-638" title="Joseph Weaver" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Joseph-Weaver-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a> </strong>“Some people like going to school and some don’t,” says <a title="Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration/">Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration </a>student, Joseph Weaver. “I’m one who doesn’t.” He spent 6-months at a Jr. College before he accepted that all those General Ed classes just didn’t interest him and he dropped out.</p>\n So imagine his surprise when his academic accomplishments and good attendance earned him recognition recently by his SJVC instructors. Everything about his HVAC-R program is working for him.\n\n “First of all, they (<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>) give you a laptop and all the tools you will need for any job,” says Joey, who is among the first students to enroll on the new Temecula campus. “All of the equipment is brand new, so we’re the first to get to play with all this great stuff,” he says.\n\n It’s not just the hands-on training that appeals to Joey. The heating and air conditioning industry makes a lot of career sense to him.\n\n “Everyone in this class is here for the same reason: to make money,” he says. Joey knows that with his degree, specialized education and training – and all those great tools – he will strengthen his potential for job security.\n\n Joey’s two instructors have 45-years combined experience in the field and that gives him even greater confidence that he will be competitive in the job market.\n\n “They tell us, ‘If you need something, just call”’, he says. “It’s not like at Jr. College where you are given a 15-minute slot of time and if your question doesn’t get answered, too bad.”\n\n Joey, his wife Erin and their two young children are making huge sacrifices to get him through to graduation in December, 2013. He works full-time at Lowes from 3:00 am to 11:30 am – a 40-hr. work week – while he attends evening HVAC-R classes. Erin works part-time, so Joey helps with childcare and catches a nap when the kids go down. Living with Erin’s mother, Tammie, who also helps with the children, has made their commitments possible.\n\n It was Erin who prompted Joey to go back to school. Always resistant, it wasn’t until she woke him up to show him a TV commercial for SJVC’s HVAC-R program that he finally gave it serious thought.  He called the college and made an appointment for the same day. He hadn’t taken a test since graduating from high school seven years earlier, so he was a little nervous about the entrance exam. He shouldn’t have worried.\n\n Now, at the top of his class, he knows that he has finally found his education and career fit. Sometimes wives just have a sense about these things.', 'Finally The Right School For Temecula HVAC-R Student', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'finally-the-right-school-for-temecula-hvac-r-student', '', '', '2012-11-29 17:06:28', '2012-11-29 17:06:28', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=637', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(643, 7, '2012-11-20 17:11:16', '2012-11-20 17:11:16', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Nicole-Murakami.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-644" title="Nicole Murakami" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Nicole-Murakami-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>“I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to try new things, to be optimistic about change and not stay on the same road,” says Nicole Murakami, Administrative Health Care Management student at the <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">Rancho Cucamonga campus</a>. She has a lot of change lined up for herself after graduation next July.\n\n For the moment, she is in total lock-down. Her Mon.-Thurs. morning classes are pretty intense, but still allow her to hold a full-time job at CostCo, where works a 1:30-10:00 pm schedule. Homework is squeezed into lunch breaks and weekends, which makes her social life fairly non-existent.\n\n “I have no outside life,” says Nicole, who has learned a hard lesson about who her ‘real friends’ are. “I’ve lost a lot of friends these last few months,” she says, “but the ones who stayed are really supportive.”\n\n Before coming to<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu"> SJVC</a>, Nicole spent a lot of time in and out of Community Colleges. “I couldn’t get the classes I wanted and was losing motivation,” she says.  Nicole’s Aunt Linda, who graduated from <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">SJVC’s Respiratory Therapy program </a>several years ago, suggested Nicole check out the college’s programs.\n\n “I really like that the classes are in 5-week blocks so that you are in and out fast and on to something new.” There’s that word again: new.\n\n Nicole likes the one-on-one attention students get from instructors. “Small class sizes give us lots of the focus we need to get what they’re trying to teach us,” she says.\n\n She especially likes her Sociology instructor, Mrs. Solis’, technique. “Mrs. Solis gets us involved and puts us into cultural and social situations we are studying.” “Using our life lessons makes it more fun.” Her enthusiasm for learning and participating in class has earned her a 3.8 GPA.\n\n Nicole became interested in Office Administration in a medical environment when she saw a good friend of hers doing so well ‘billing and coding’ for a medical facility.\n\n“She loves her job, is well off financially and seems so happy,” says Nicole. It is a life Nicole knows she can have next year, as well, with her SJVC degree.\n\n Nicole envisions her new life in Eugene, Oregon – or maybe San Diego. She is sure the career move – and the change – will do her good.\n\n&nbsp;', 'Change Is A Way Of Life For Rancho Cucamonga Student', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'change-is-a-way-of-life-for-rancho-cucamonga-student', '', '', '2012-11-20 17:11:16', '2012-11-20 17:11:16', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=643', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(653, 7, '2012-11-28 17:21:36', '2012-11-28 17:21:36', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Tameka.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-654" title="Tameka" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Tameka-e1358184044346-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Tameka Smith started and stopped college many times before enrolling in <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s <a title="Pharmacy Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology/">Pharmacy Technology </a>program last year.\n\n“I dropped out to get married, then to have my daughter and son, then to care for family members who needed help,” says Tameka. It just never seemed to be her turn to have the support needed to fulfill her education dream.\n\nNow in the last weeks of her PT program externship, she has a little time to reflect on her struggle to get here. In the last year Tameka has lost four people close to her, including her beloved grandmother last December. Instead of losing focus during such tremendous loss, she came back to class certain that she had her grandmother’s blessing.\n\n“Everything suddenly clicked for me and I felt that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing,” she says. “Even now I get little signs of encouragement from her.”\n\nTameka also relied on classmates to “keep me sane.” An admitted control freak and perfectionist, she learned to take their advice and “put it down, walk away and come back with a clearer mind”, as a way to push through difficult times. Her <em>Pharm Fam, </em>as they call themselves, got her through the rough spots.\n\nIt was her faith and God that always gave her the ‘extra push when no one else could” she says, that she most relied upon. At home, her husband Shawn, 13-year old Maia and 9-year old Myles kept her anchored to her goals.\n\n“Most nights, the kids and I would do our homework together,” she says. Tameka’s 4.0 GPA proves it was an effective support system.\n\nTameka is optimistic about employment, once she graduates in December. She plans to spend a few years enjoying her new profession while her kids get through high school and then, maybe, a BA degree in Pharmacology. She just passed her national and state Pharmacy Technology certifications and is a licensed PT, so she is well on her way.\n\n“Right now I have the wind beneath my wings with my AS degree, and the sky is the limit,” she says.', 'Pharmacy Technology Student''s Degree Was A Long Time Coming', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'pharmacy-technology-students-degree-was-a-long-time-coming', '', '', '2012-11-28 17:21:36', '2012-11-28 17:21:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=653', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(663, 7, '2012-10-26 18:37:41', '2012-10-26 18:37:41', '<img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-685" title="MA Event" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/MA-Event-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /><a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) in Visalia</a> celebrated National Medical Assistants Week, Oct. 15-19, with week-long activities, community recognition and a special ceremony for Medical Assisting program students who took part in honoring their future profession.\n\n <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">SJVC’s Medical Assisting (MA) </a>program chose “Medical Assistants, you make a difference!” as their theme this year.\n\n “Our students are the promise of tomorrow in this field,” says Cecilia Avalos, MA instructor. “During National Medical Assistants Week, we honored our past, present and our future.”\n\n Many of the almost 200 students enrolled in SJVC’s MA program enjoyed a week of activities that included a “Healthy Eating” event that demonstrated healthy food choices and cooking techniques.  \n\nMary Ann Cuellar, MA instructor, represented the college at a Visalia City Council meeting where Mayor Amy Shuklian presented San Joaquin Valley College with a proclamation plaque recognizing National Medical Assistants Week.\n\nThe week’s celebration concluded with an awards ceremony on campus where Mike Perry, SJVC’s CEO, talked to MA students about the importance of their chosen career’s impact on their communities. Students enjoyed the focus on their profession, refreshments and a drawing for prizes.', 'SJVC Celebrates Medical Assistants Week', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-celebrates-medical-assistants-week', '', '', '2012-10-26 18:37:41', '2012-10-26 18:37:41', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=663', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(665, 7, '2012-11-16 17:38:23', '2012-11-16 17:38:23', '                                                                                               At 36, Aaron<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Aaron-Zwetsloot.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-666" title="Aaron Zwetsloot" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Aaron-Zwetsloot-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="298" /></a> Zwetsloot might have thought that college and a degree were missed opportunities that would seal his future and limit his career opportunities. No one was more surprised than he when he found himself sitting in class and out in the <a title="SJVC Aviation" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-campus/">Aviation campus’ </a>hangar realizing a new vision for himself.\n\n His Volkswagen repair business in Oregon was losing ground as the economy tightened, and he knew he had to make a big change to provide for his wife, Jill, and their two sons, 9-year old Parker and 4-year old Dublin.\n\n A move to <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno</a> found them all scrambling a little to re-stabilize. “I’m a small town guy used to going in to apply for a job, resume in hand,” says Aaron. “Now everything is online and I felt a little overwhelmed.”\n\n College wasn’t his first thought. Aaron went to work right out of high school. “I really wasn’t interested in anything and didn’t want to waste my time or money,” he says. Now he is at a time and place in his life when he can really focus.\n\n“I get up at 5:00 o’clock (classes start at 7:00 am) to get prepared,” says Aaron. “If I’m going to do this, I have to make it worthwhile.”\n\nIt’s working. Aaron was just named <em>Student of the Aero</em>, a distinction given to those students who go beyond class participation, grades, performance and behavior expectations.\n\n“I never really liked classes like English when I was in high school,” he says. “But, my (Aviation program) English teacher, Jody Mills, is fantastic, “so I’m getting more out of it now.”\n\nHe loves that the Aviation campus is at the Fresno airport and can watch the industry action up close. Many in his family are either pilots or airplane hobbyists, so there is lots of support for his new career direction. His wife, Jill, works full time to help make Aaron’s education possible and even his young boys try to share his excitement. “My son, Dublin, will ask, ‘Dad, how was school today?’”\n\n Aaron graduates in about six months and sees a bright future for his family. “It’s a new beginning for us and I see this as something I can do for the rest of my life,” he says.', 'Smooth Flying for Fresno Aviation Student', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'smooth-flying-for-fresno-aviation-student', '', '', '2012-11-16 17:38:23', '2012-11-16 17:38:23', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=665', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(669, 7, '2012-11-10 17:42:15', '2012-11-10 17:42:15', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/charmelle.jpeg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-671" title="charmelle" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/charmelle-290x290.jpeg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Charmelle Andrews knows how to hunker down. When challenge blows her way – whether it is going back to college at age 48, working full-time while enrolled in the<a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online/"> Medical Office Administration online </a>program, or trying to function in the dark when Hurricane Sandy blew through her home in Staten Island, NY – she digs in.\n\n “When you look outside and see a boat in your yard – and you don’t own one – you know it’s bad,” says Charmelle. She is grateful she was only “inconvenienced”, when many of her co-workers at the home health agency where she works lost their homes.\n\n “Some of my friends still don’t know where their cars are,” she says.\n\n Even though the electricity and gas are back on, Charmelle still has plenty of struggle, working full-time while trying to complete her MOA degree program in April next year. Some days she just doesn’t want to go to class and toys with the idea of giving up. But, she knows from past experience that her degree will open doors.\n\n“I’ve lost jobs that my experience made me more qualified for, but someone else got it because of that little piece of paper,” she says. “Ok, if that’s what they want, I’ll go and get it.”\n\nCharmelle first enrolled in the <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">Medical Office Administration </a>certification program. When she finished that she decided to take it all the way and get her AS degree. This proved a little more difficult, as double classes meant that sometimes lectures overlap. Add in her 4-hour time difference in New York and full-time work and it can be a scramble.\n\n“I’ve kind of shocked myself that I’ve had the patience to do it,” she says. Her persistence has paid off with making the Dean’s List eight times.\n\nPlus, friends and family won’t let her quit. “When I am tired and fee like giving up, someone in her family and friend support group will say, “You can do it; your fan club is here!”’ says Charmelle.\n\nCharmelle keeps her vision of success in sharp focus. She wants to start her own medical billing business one day – maybe working out of her home. She is counting on a little more control over her life than hurricanes have been known to offer. She is the whirlwind who can do it.', 'Hurricane Sandy Meets Her Match', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hurricane-sandy-meets-her-match', '', '', '2012-11-10 17:42:15', '2012-11-10 17:42:15', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=669', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(681, 7, '2012-11-07 17:50:59', '2012-11-07 17:50:59', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HVAC-Scholarship-Winners.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-682" title="HVAC Scholarship Winners" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HVAC-Scholarship-Winners-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Most students don’t realize that there is a lot of scholarship money out there to help them with tuition expenses,” says Reneisha Wilkes, Student Resource Coordinator for <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC)</a> in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. She has made it a big part of her job to get the word out.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOn Wednesday, November 7<sup>th</sup> four of SJVC’s<a title="Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration"> Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) </a>students were told they won scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 each from the Rees Scholarship Foundation. Mario Cedano, Jeremy Miller, John Morris and Jamie Barela were among fourteen HVAC students whom Reneisha encouraged to submit an application, and who met personal and professional requirements, such as community volunteerism, commitment to the HVAC industry and willingness to help others consider this career choice.\n\n "I was really happy to see that I was a recipient and this money will help me out a great deal,” says HVAC student, Mario Cedano. Scholarship awards will continue to be made throughout the next several months and Reneisha Wilkes will be happy to pass along the good news to SJVC recipients.\n\n There are still 58 HVAC scholarships totaling about $300,000. available to students who qualify. “I help as many students as possible learn of the scholarship opportunities available to them,” says Wilkes.\n\n In the last 18-months she has helped over 140 SJVC students receive $293,000. in awards that range from $200 to fully paid tuition. Each award is applied directly to the student recipient’s student loan, “which relieves a little of their financial burden,” says Wilkes.\n\n Students interested in applying for various scholarships appropriate to their career program should contact their Student Resource Coordinator on campus for information and assistance.', 'HVAC Students Earn Scholarships', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hvac-students-earn-scholarships', '', '', '2012-11-07 17:50:59', '2012-11-07 17:50:59', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=681', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(689, 7, '2012-10-04 18:52:27', '2012-10-04 18:52:27', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Temecula3.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-693 alignleft" title="Temecula" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Temecula3-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>On September 20<sup>th</sup> almost 300 of <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College’s (SJVC)</a> students, staff and faculty participated in creating awareness about violence among nations and in our homes through Peace One Day events on their <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/">Temecula </a>campus. “By bringing Peace One Day to our students, we are striving to achieve peace in our local community, which brings us one step closer to achieving real peace in the world,” says SJVC instructor Sandra Schiffner.     \n\n In 1999, filmmaker Jeremy Gilley launched Peace One Day to begin to establish an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. In 2001, just days before the September 11 terrorist attack, the United Nations adopted September 21st as the International Day of Peace. It is a day not only about creating peace between nations, but about supporting non-violence in our homes, schools and communities. His documentary, “The Day after Peace”, has provided much of the inspiration for San Joaquin Valley College’s commitment to celebrating this day and this idea.\n\nPeace Day provides an opportunity for groups and individuals – especially young people – to become involved in the peace process. Across the nation, across the world, people gathered to show support for non-violence at home and abroad.\n\nStudents at SJVC’s Temecula campus filled out “peace pledge cards” which stated how they might promote peace in their own lives and in the world around them. Instructors devoted class time to discussions about wars, the proliferation of violence, the difficulties of maintaining peace, and the importance of freedom on both a local and international scale. The day’s activities concluded with an ice cream party, raffle, campus photo and a ‘flash mob’ of students and faculty set to “Party Rock Anthem”.\n\n To commemorate Peace Day, several other San Joaquin Valley College campuses held fundraising events and organized walks in support of agencies that promote peace or that provide resources to victims of domestic violence. Most SJVC campuses orchestrated their events to allow all students enrolled in day and evening Medical, Business and Technical class sessions to participate.\n\n Jeremy Gilley’s next objective is to have introduced 3 billion people to Peace Day by the end of this year. Peace One Day wants to engage all sectors of society to observe September 21 through the practical manifestation of non-violence and ceasefire in accordance with UN GA Resolution 55/282, and encourage action on Peace Day that creates a united and sustainable world. Websites: Peace One Day at peaceoneday.org.  International Day of Peace at internationaldayofpeace.org.', 'SJVC Students Walk for ''Peace One Day''', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-students-walk-for-peace-one-day', '', '', '2012-10-04 18:52:27', '2012-10-04 18:52:27', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=689', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(712, 9, '2012-09-17 20:30:31', '2012-09-17 20:30:31', '<div>\n\n<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/WONG.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-713" title="WONG" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/WONG-290x216.png" alt="" width="290" height="216" /></a>“Always be open to changes and accept the differences of a company or person. Be open to jumping in on opportunities like internships, because you never know where it could bring you.”\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nThis is the advice Business Administration student Jennifer Wong gives students after completing an internship with <a href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank">SJVC</a> SIFE and Sam’s Club of Ontario.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nJennifer participated in an intensive ten-week program at Sam’s Club (a membership-only retail warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart Stores, Inc.) during which she worked and studied full time with the management and staff acorss all departments. At the conclusion of the internship, Jennifer was required to give a report and present it to judges.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nThe judges included SIFE advisors Maryann Sebelist, SJVC Rancho Cucamonga and Dr. Ghazzawi, University of LaVerne, as well as senior and regional management from Sam’s Club.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nJennifer wowed the judges with her final project, focusing her presentation on customer and employee concerns. Her above-par performance for these judges landed her a spot in Sam’s Club’s Manager In Training (MIT) program post graduation. This program will dive deeper into the concepts she learned during her internship, preparing her for a permanent role as a Sam’s Club manager.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nAs an intern, Jennifer’s primary responsibility was to observe the overall function of the warehouse. She shadowed managers and team leads of all departments and assisted with simple tasks around the warehouse.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n“Even though the objective was to shadow a manager or a team lead, I took the initiative to take on a role as a manager,” explained Jennifer. “Some days I would walk around and make sure members are finding everything all right or even supervise the checkout.”\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nThe extra steps she took did not go unnoticed. All the store managers and many corporate employees were incredibly impressed by Jennifer’s skills.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nThis type of work is nothing new for Jennifer. She grew up around grocery retail and a warehouse setting so the “everyday chaos” was normal to her. However, she has now learned what it takes to coordinate all efforts - and that there is more to it than just paying vendors for what they give the store.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n“I learned a lot about working with a diverse group of people. You have to learn to be one with your associates regardless of your position.”\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\nJennifer believes that communication was key to having a supportive and successful team of workers.\n\n</div>\n<div> </div>\n<div>\n\n“Sam’s club has a great and powerful culture that I’m sure if we all adopt it, would better not only ourselves but the people around us.”\n\n</div>', 'SJVC Student Accepted Into MIT Program Post Graduation', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-student-accepted-into-mit-program-post-graduation', '', '', '2012-09-17 20:30:31', '2012-09-17 20:30:31', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=712', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(525, 7, '2012-12-07 18:50:16', '2012-12-07 18:50:16', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bloom-46.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-526" title="Bloom-46" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bloom-46-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="249" height="238" /></a>It was five long years from the time Andrew (AJ) Bloom first decided to become a <a title="Physician Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/physician-assistant/">Physician Assistant </a>until he actually enrolled in the <a title="Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> campus’s PA program. It wasn’t procrastination that delayed that start date; it was his deliberate, methodical preparation to meet the program’s prerequisites.\n\n “In the beginning my goal seemed so far away,” says AJ, “But I knew I had to keep chipping away at the ‘prereqs’ of volunteer work, patient-related work experience and shadowing Physician Assistants to make it happen.” He developed a long-term plan to meet his goals and put his mind, heart and back into it.\n\n “It was a lot of small decisions along the way that gradually added up,” he says. “It was taking summer classes, getting a tutor for chemistry and turning Bs into As” that finally positioned him as a qualified candidate for the PA program.\n\n Now, well past the half-way mark, AJ is breathing a little easier. He has hit his stride with the demands of a rigorous PA program.\n\n “I live by the clock,” he says, “and set a firm study schedule.” The moment things first came together for him was when he passed his first set of mid-terms. “Ok, this is do-able,” he decided. He hasn’t looked back.\n\n As a graduate from Chico State with a BA Degree, and a licensed EMT who worked for 5-years in that field, AJ knows a career in medicine holds the brightest future for him and his family. His wife, Ali, and toddler, Finley, are his strongest supporters – along with Ali’s parents who live in Visalia and have provided a home for this young family while they try to get ahead.\n\n “They are putting a roof over our heads and making it possible for Ali to be a stay-at-home mom and for me to have the focus I need to complete the program,” says AJ. A new baby coming in May will get to witness AJ’s August walk across the graduation stage and into a new life of service to the local community.\n\n “As a professional PA, I want to stay relevant in this field and make a positive impact on people’s lives in an underserved health community,” says AJ. He is well on his way.', 'A Long Road To Success', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-long-road-to-success', '', '', '2012-12-07 18:50:16', '2012-12-07 18:50:16', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=525', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(551, 7, '2012-12-20 21:25:16', '2012-12-20 21:25:16', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Daniel-Ruiz1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-553" title="Daniel Ruiz" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Daniel-Ruiz1-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Daniel Ruiz had two primary goals when he enrolled in SJVC’s <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy </a>program on the Visalia campus almost 18-months ago:  Get straight A’s and have a job interview lined up by the time he graduated. Check. And check.\n\nNot only did Daniel maintain a 4.0 GPA and make the Dean’s List each semester but, as his program comes to completion, he has already had two interviews with a Fresno hospital – and things are looking good for him to land his first position as a Respiratory Therapist.\n\n“Hopefully, I’ll have a job right out of school,” says Daniel. “I hope I did well enough to get my first job.”\n\nDaniel’s background in medicine put him in a good position to do well in the RT program. He had already graduated from CSUF with a BS degree and had been working in a physical therapy clinic for the last four years. He knew he wanted a position in the medical field that gave him more patient contact.\n\n“I didn’t really know what Respiratory Therapy was all about until I started the program,” says Daniel. “I was just feeling a push to get deeper into the medical field,” he says. It turned out to be a good fit for him and a career that would provide the life he and his wife, A.J., wanted.\n\n“A.J. really helped out by just being there and making life good,” he says.\n\nDaniel kept his job for the first year while attending classes, but the Monday through Thursday schedule and commute from Fresno didn’t leave him much time. As it was, he cut it pretty close with a 6:55 AM wake-up and 7:05 AM exit from home to make the 8:00 AM class. A.J. was his greatest supporter and worked full-time to help make it happen\n\nTheir future looks bright with possibilities for Daniel to reach even higher.\n\n“There are lots of opportunities down the road,” he says. “I want to start off by moving up the different levels of an RCP and later in my career possibly get into management, or some kind of teaching role to help the up-and-coming therapists; all of it appeals to me,” Daniel says.\n\nAfter a pretty intense 18 months, Daniel’s goals are pretty simple. “I just want to start a career and make some money.”', 'Student Successful Due To Background In Medicine', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'student-successful-dueto-background-in-medicine', '', '', '2012-12-20 21:25:16', '2012-12-20 21:25:16', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=551', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(560, 7, '2012-12-10 21:43:29', '2012-12-10 21:43:29', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Angela-Cantu.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-561" title="Angela Cantu" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Angela-Cantu-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Fresno <a title="Dental Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-assistant/">Dental Assisting </a>program student Angela Cantu wasn’t sure she would ever make it to her December 13<sup>th</sup> graduation ceremony. A few months before the end of her program Angela’s mom, Diana, was diagnosed with breast cancer and their world was turned upside down.\n\n “When we first found out, I couldn’t concentrate on school until I knew what was going on,” says Angela. Their family was in turmoil and their future uncertain. Fortunately for Angela, she had the support of another family, one of classmates and instructors at <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>.\n\n “Mrs. Sepeda pulled me aside to ask how I was doing,” she says. “I wasn’t doing well in class and just couldn’t concentrate.” Angela’s grades were slipping and she was losing sight of her dream to become a Dental Assistant.\n\n After a lot of thought and counseling, Angela ended up taking a 5-week break to help her mom through her initial treatment and recovery.\n\n “Family comes first for me, and I had to make sure my mom was ok,” she says. Diana is now doing well and everyone is slowly easing back into the routines of their lives.\n\nAngela returned to the DA program ready to complete what she started.\n\n “I never really liked school before, but this school is way different,” she says. “I really enjoy being here, and helping others is where my calling is.”  Angela’s mom got to experience her daughter’s nurturing nature first-hand and in a way that brought them even closer.\n\n “I’m proud of myself for going back to school, for not giving up,” she says. Angela wants to set a good example for her 2-year old daughter, Audrianna. She won’t remember her mom’s struggle and accomplishments, but she will benefit from them for many years to come.', 'Family Crisis Drives Student To Never Give Up', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'family-crisis-drives-student-to-never-give-up', '', '', '2012-12-10 21:43:29', '2012-12-10 21:43:29', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=560', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(565, 7, '2013-01-09 22:13:37', '2013-01-09 22:13:37', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/sairapic1.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-567" title="sairapic" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/sairapic1-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="258" height="271" /></a> Saira Javid’s health struggles meant she spent a lot of time in a medical environment, the recipient of someone else’s empathetic care. She got a close-up view of how she wanted to spend her professional life. “When I was born, I was made for this work,” says Saira. Her aspirations were to be a doctor, but, she didn’t know quite how to get there from here.\n\n Saira decided to move cautiously and after earning her A.S. degree from Reedley Community College she enrolled in SJVC’s <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Clinical Medical Assisting </a>certificate program in <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a>. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she may have underestimated herself and her natural ability to absorb and implement her medical coursework.\n\n “I very quickly fell in love with what I’m doing,” she says and admits that, although there are a lot of new things to learn, her affinity for the material allows her to easily handle coursework. In fact, she has lifted her sights toward the college’s Physician Assistant program, which she hopes to enter after a few years of Medical Assisting practice.\n\n A very special moment was when one of her instructors told her, in front of the whole class, how proud she was of Saira and suggested that other students use Saira as a model for successful student behavior. Since then, Saira often tutors other CMA students, particularly in math and English classes.\n\n “It is important for me to help others,” she says. “One of the reasons I chose to be in the medical field is to always give assistance to someone who needs it.”\n\n Saira’s husband, Tamir, has been her strongest supporter through the ups and downs of her health and her desire for a career in medicine. Her parents, Mohammad and Parween, have been her greatest inspiration.\n\n “My Dad always tells me, ‘Don’t live just for yourself, but to benefit others, too,’” she says. “My parents believe in me and tell me, ‘Go out there and make your dream come true.’”\n\n Saira is well on her way with her 4.0 GPA, the respect of her teachers and fellow students, encouragement from her family and her own sense of purpose.\n\n Saira says she is falling in love with medicine. “The more I learn, the more I want to learn,” she says. At 25-years old, she has a lifetime to fuel that desire.', 'Instincts Guide CMA Student Toward Perfect Career Fit', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'instincts-guide-cma-student-toward-perfect-career-fit', '', '', '2013-01-09 22:13:37', '2013-01-09 22:13:37', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=565', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(598, 7, '2013-01-10 23:52:48', '2013-01-10 23:52:48', 'Kevin Suyoto grew up in Pro<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Kevin-and-Sigit-Sujoto.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-599" title="Kevin and Sigit Sujoto" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Kevin-and-Sigit-Sujoto-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>vo, Utah where service to others was as much a part of his culture and environment as the red rock mountains and deep canyons. It was no surprise to his friends and family that he decided to set his sights on a career in the medical field, first as a <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Medical Assistant </a>and eventually to get his Bachelor’s in Science and Nursing.\n\n“I’ve grown up in a religion that focuses on helping others, and medicine and science have always been intriguing to me,” says Kevin. It all comes together for him in class lectures and lab sessions in his Medical Assisting program on the Temecula campus and is reflected in his 4.0 GPA.  “I like to get to class at least a half-hour early to study and do homework,” he says. “It helps me to focus better, if I’m here.”\n\nKevin first heard about <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/">SJVC</a> from the college’s High School representative, who followed up on an interest card Kevin filled out after a school presentation. A visit to the campus convinced him that this was the right path to eventually work one-on-one with patients.\n\nThings had to fall into place quickly.  Kevin only had two weeks between his high school graduation and the MA program start date. He made it happen.  Now, with almost 6-months of education and training under his belt, Kevin has a better idea of his fit for this career choice. What has intrigued him so far?  “I like the hands-on clinicals best,” he says. And, injections. “We’ve done so many on each other that I’m not afraid of them anymore.”\n\nHis favorite part of class is the big tests. “I know it’s going to sound weird, but I like exam days,” he says, “because, they are also potluck days,” a nice reward for all the students’ hard work.  The future looks very bright for Kevin who plans to work part-time as a Medical Assistant after graduation next August, while continuing his education. Right now he is grateful to have the support of his Dad to help him get to a place of self-sufficiency. Kevin seems well on his way.', 'On A Path To Service', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'on-a-path-to-service', '', '', '2013-01-10 23:52:48', '2013-01-10 23:52:48', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=598', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(607, 7, '2013-01-08 17:20:59', '2013-01-08 17:20:59', '<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Candie-Garcia1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-609" title="Candie Garcia" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Candie-Garcia1-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a></strong>Candie Garcia watched three family members enroll in medical programs at the <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">Rancho Cucamonga </a>campus in the last four years. Her sister, Bernice, and sister-in-law, Divina, both graduated from the Medical Assisting program in 2010, and her brother, Joshua, is scheduled to graduate from the <a title="Pharmacy Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology/">Pharmacy Technology </a>program this August. They convinced her that SJVC was the place to begin training for her career in medicine.</p>\n Now, about to graduate this month with a 3.94 GPA, she is certain they were right.\n\n “I didn’t realize that it was going to go by so fast,” says Candie. Classes seemed a perfect fit for her interests. “Ms. Cobb (venipuncture lab) really challenged us and prepared us for working with patients in the real world,” she says. “By the end of the class I was completely confident and knew the top 60 most commonly prescribed drugs.”\n\n As a member of SJVC student clubs and national professional organizations and president of HOSA (Health Occupational Student Association), Candie had lots of opportunities to participate in community service events that allowed her to demonstrate her growing medical knowledge and techniques.\n\n “Part of what I learned working with real patients is that, even though someone might be a little bit grumpy, it’s important to still keep a smile on your face,” she says.\n\n Volunteering at community health fairs brought her face-to-face with patients and gave her lots of experience to take into her externship assignment. \n\n Candie’s mom was her greatest inspiration to go to college and to do well. Her mom missed her own chance to attend an art institute on a full scholarship, when her father wouldn’t let her go. Therefore she put her hopes and dreams for higher education on her children.\n\n “It’s very important for my mom to have us succeed, and it’s very important for us to make her proud,” says Candie.\n\n Candie has big plans for her future. This spring she will go on an 18-month mission for her church “spreading the word” in a country still unknown to her. When she returns she plans to go back to school to further her long-term dream of becoming a Family Practice doctor.\n\n “I’m going to keep going to school – all the way up,” says Candie. Her mother is undoubtedly very proud.', 'SJVC Is A Family Tradition For MA Student', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-is-a-family-tradition-for-ma-student', '', '', '2013-01-08 17:20:59', '2013-01-08 17:20:59', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=607', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(616, 7, '2012-12-02 16:45:11', '2012-12-02 16:45:11', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Chelsea-Sestini.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-617" title="Chelsea Sestini" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Chelsea-Sestini-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>At 22-years old, Chelsea Sestini had given post high school education a good try. She had been in and out of community college classes and had even done the online thing, but with little success.\n\n “It just wasn’t working for me, and I felt like I was falling through the cracks,” says Chelsea.\n\n Then, when her mom went back to college and became a Nurse Practitioner at age 52, Chelsea knew she had the role model and inspiration she needed to finally make it happen. She just needed to find the right education environment.\n\n “I love the atmosphere here and everything is much more personal with such small class sizes,” she says .Chelsea felt right at home on SJVC’s <a title="Visalia Campus" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia campus </a>and decided to enroll in the<a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/"> Business Administration </a>program.\n\n “The teachers are more like mentors, and if you get lost on the lessons, they are there until you get it.” Chelsea likes knowing that everyone in her class is doing what she is doing and at the same pace. She feels like they are developing friendships that could last a lifetime. “We have a real connection – kind of like a family, but without the bickering,” she laughs.\n\n Chelsea especially likes wearing the BA uniform. “The uniform changes the way I think about school; I feel professional and proud to put it on,” she says.\n\n Chelsea has a family of cheerleaders supporting her all the way. In addition to her mom, Chelsea’s husband, Shaun, and their two young children remind her that all of her hard work will be worth it.\n\n Her advice to anyone afraid to go back to college: “Believe in yourself and just take that leap. Everything else will fall into place.”\n\n The benefits of an educational experience within a Private College have all come together for Chelsea, who currently enjoys a 4.0 GPA. In fact, she has adjusted so well to academic life that she now has her eyes cast toward eventually getting her MBA.\n\n But first she has another vision to complete – one more ‘uniform’ to wear when she walks across the stage and is awarded her AS degree at her graduation ceremony in September next year.\n\n “I want to feel that pride and that smile on my face,” she says.', 'Finding The Right College Experience', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'finding-the-right-college-experience', '', '', '2012-12-02 16:45:11', '2012-12-02 16:45:11', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=616', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(626, 7, '2013-01-02 16:54:25', '2013-01-02 16:54:25', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Joel-Rabara.jpeg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-628" title="Joel Rabara" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Joel-Rabara-290x290.jpeg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>Joel Rabara always knew he would go to college. It was an expectation his parents held without compromise. It wasn’t until he went with his family to visit his mother’s siblings in the Philippines that he realized why.\n\n Her relatives lived in poverty in 20’x20’ tarp-covered shelters with only a flickering black and white TV for entertainment. The contrast to Joel’s life was great and the reason for the division quickly understood: education. His mother worked hard for a nursing degree before coming to the U.S. and no less was expected of him and his sister.\n\n<strong> </strong>His commitment to education has never wavered. Even when his family faced foreclosure of their home and his mother, Estela, was forced into early retirement after 30-years as an RN, he worked weekends throughout his <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy</a> (RT) program in Rancho Cordova to help out financially. He admits that it was difficult to attend classes – an hour away – and keep up his 3.9 GPA, while working every weekend, but he persevered.\n\n “I know that helping family isn’t really a bragging point, since everybody helps their families, but it really took a toll on my being able to focus on education and juggle extracurricular activities,” says Joel. Those extracurricular activities included devoting every Friday to tutoring other RT students struggling with the rigors of the program.\n\n Throughout Joel’s 18-month RT program he demonstrated extraordinary leadership skills. He undertook many volunteer projects both on and off campus. He chaired and organized from start to finish <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/">SJVC</a>’s Children’s Pulmonary Function Testing exhibition, which was open to the entire campus and for which he was recognized. Joel also hosted a canned food drive on campus in conjunction with the Sacramento Food Bank over a 2-month period that filled four barrels of non-perishable food.\n\n Most recently he organized over 30-student volunteers to work with the Food Bank and a local church to package, display and distribute food to needy families. There is a long list of organizations that benefit from his passion and dedication.\n\n Joel Rabara is the kind of person who isn’t content with just his own success. Whether coaching fellow students, giving community outreach a dependable leader or helping a neighbor in need, he is determined to take as many people with him into that realm as he can.\n\n “Your word is more credible the more education and experience you have,” says Joel, who has plans to push his industry further through his own research and publication. “I want to put my name out there,” he says. We will be looking for it.', 'College Was Not An Option For Rancho Cordova Student', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'college-was-not-an-option-for-rancho-cordova-student', '', '', '2013-01-02 16:54:25', '2013-01-02 16:54:25', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=626', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(632, 7, '2012-12-18 16:59:39', '2012-12-18 16:59:39', '                                                                                                 John Tucker was looki<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/John-Tucker.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-633" title="John Tucker" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/John-Tucker-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>ng to further his military career with an electrical training program when he stumbled upon SJVC’s <a title="Industrial Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/industrial-technology/">Industrial Technology </a>(IT) certificate program while browsing online.\n\n “I thought this would be a better choice for me – something more recession-proof,” says John.\n\n John was back from 9-months in Iraq and working part-time at the military’s Flight Operations center in Fresno when he enrolled last July. With 7-years already under his belt as a member of the Army’s 1106<sup>th</sup> TASMG, he wanted specialized training to enhance his 20-year commitment to the military.\n\n “I didn’t know what I was getting into when I first started the IT program,” says John. But, he knew right away that the scope of the program’s training would give him an advantage wherever he went.\n\n Many aspects of the IT program appealed to John. “I like how hands-on it is and how cohesive it is between students and our teacher,” he says. “We can have a lot of fun and still get done what we need to accomplish.”\n\n“A lot of employers want 3-5 years experience,” he says. “But, I’ll get my foot in the door because many of them have already hired <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> graduates in the past and are confident in what we know and can do,” he says. He has his eyes on local industrial companies and agriculture processing plants in the area.\n\n John’s military training has helped him to focus on his goals. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and manages to balance his military commitment with civilian life. The National Guard requires him to drill one weekend each month and two weeks each year.\n\nJohn’s car is in the shop right now, but he has been pretty pragmatic about that too. He rides his bike to morning classes four days a week and hopes to miss the spurts of rain.\n\n He accepts whatever comes his way with a determination to push through. Three year-old Zavier and one year-old Holly have a champion in their dad.\n\n “I just want to thrive and get a well-paying job to take care of my kids,” says John.', 'Fresno Student Balances Military Career And School', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'fresno-student-balances-military-career-and-school', '', '', '2012-12-18 16:59:39', '2012-12-18 16:59:39', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=632', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(648, 7, '2012-12-06 17:16:43', '2012-12-06 17:16:43', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Sergio-Calvillo.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-649" title="Sergio Calvillo" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Sergio-Calvillo-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>At 31-years old, Sergio Calvillo knew the 13-year gap between classes was going to hurt. Classmates in his <a title="Surgical Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/surgical-technology/">Surgical Technology </a>program “were fresh out of high school and zipping along,” he says, while he wrestled with being a student again. “Being back into academics was a real struggle for me,” he says.\n\n Sergio knew he had to buckle down if he wanted to break out of the Auto Body industry in which he’d spent most of his life, earning a living for his family. When he was laid off the second time, he knew he had to make his move.\n\n “The Surgical Tech program in <a title="Fresno Campus" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno</a> grabbed my attention,” he says, “because it has very high graduation and placement rates.”\n\n It was a difficult balancing act. His wife, Evelyn, and children Dominic and Emma had to do a lot of their usual ‘family things’ without him. Sergio admits to feeling pretty neglectful during those months he was in school, when he was regularly pulled away from his kids’ school, sports and family events.\n\n “I did a lot of my studying while everyone else was sleeping,” he says, and still managed to make the Dean’s List every quarter; a “pretty big deal” for a guy who scrambled to stay up with the just-graduated-high-school ‘zippers’.\n\n Evelyn works full-time as a Pharmacy Technician, so they had to juggle child care, along with work and school schedules. It was important to Sergio that his kids saw their effort and got the message of the importance of an education.\n\n “If I can show them that I can still do it – that, at 31, Dad can go back to school and finish it, maybe they will understand,” says Sergio.\n\n Now all of their parenting lessons and shared sacrifice have finally paid off. After graduating Nov. 29<sup>th</sup>, two job offers “have landed in my lap”, says Sergio.\n\n “I am so blessed to get a job right after graduation,” he says. If all goes smoothly, Sergio begins orientation at Clovis Community Hospital on Dec. 17<sup>th</sup> and the Calvillos will begin to breathe a little easier.', 'Better Late Than Never', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'better-late-than-never', '', '', '2012-12-06 17:16:43', '2012-12-06 17:16:43', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=648', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(658, 7, '2013-01-12 17:25:40', '2013-01-12 17:25:40', 'Violeta Chaidez is the first<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/violeta1.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-660" title="violeta" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/violeta1-290x290.jpg" width="291" height="290" /></a> member of her large family to attend college and come away with a degree. Her parents and four siblings know from watching her these last fourteen months, while she got up early for class, studied during the summer when her brothers and sisters were out of school and working to keep her grades up, that it could be done.\n\n“I loved showing them my degree and maybe inspiring them to go to college, too,” says Violeta.\n\nHer 3.8 GPA indicates she is a deserving role model.\n\nHer <a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/">Business Administration </a>classes provided the perfect fit for her future plans.\n\n“I wanted to enroll in a program that would give me the most opportunities for a career,” says Violeta, who would like to open her own spa business one day.\n\nOne class in particular provided a big boost to her self-employment dream.  “Miss Nichols’ Business Capstone class taught us a lot about running a business,” she says. “It was more than just buying stuff to sell; it was about how to attract people and how to make your business come alive.” Fun and creativity were definitely emphasized.\n\n“I thought that classes might be a monotone of lectures and homework, but class projects like creating your own business and selecting a theme made it so much fun.”\n\nVioleta will attend<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/"> SJVC’s </a>graduation ceremony on Jan. 18<sup>th</sup> in Rancho Cucamonga. Her parents and siblings will be there to cheer her accomplishments, and she is pretty sure her brothers and sisters will use this memory to move forward in their own educational lives, now that she has shown the way.', 'SJVC Graduate Sets The Education Bar High For Her Family', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'sjvc-graduate-sets-the-education-bar-high-for-her-family', '', '', '2013-01-12 17:25:40', '2013-01-12 17:25:40', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=658', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(674, 7, '2013-01-15 19:32:07', '2013-01-15 19:32:07', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Shonna-Sutton.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-773" title="Shonna Sutton" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Shonna-Sutton.jpg" alt="" width="210" height="150" /></a>Lashonna Sutton knows she has a big light to shine on the world by helping others to see the light within themselves. But she knew she, first, had to have all the business structure in place in order to sustain her life coach dreams.\n\nAs a new <a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/">Business Administration</a> program student on the <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno </a>campus, Shonna is learning how to support the feeling and services part of her business, “Chosen with Purpose”, with the framework of Human Resources, Sales and Marketing, Business Plan and Professional Development.\n\n“Without this program I would never have known all of this and how to deal with even the legal issues of hiring people and running a business,” says Shonna.\n\nLashonna came to SJVC after her military service with the US Air Force ended in 2002 and various jobs led her back to California. It wasn’t long before she recognized the advantage of earning a degree in business and the opportunity her veteran’s status gave her to obtain it. She wasted no time in putting her options into action and is well on her way toward that end.\n\nLashonna’s self-employment goals are to steer her current business in a way that reaches more people who need direction in life, to inspire others to live their dreams and write a few books along the way. She hopes to have her current book, “Masterpiece” ready for publication in the next year or two.\n\nIn it she motivates others to “recognize their unique gifts and look at each setback as an opportunity to grow, to go out there and do something that fulfills their dreams,” she says.\n\nShonna balances classes and homework with her business’s motivational speaking engagements, while she also devotes herself to her family, which includes her supportive husband, Dennis, and young children Elijah and Alicia. She is always ready for the next step in her own evolution and will go, as she says, “however the Lord moves me.”', 'This Little Light Of Mine', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'this-little-light-of-mine', '', '', '2013-01-15 19:32:07', '2013-01-15 19:32:07', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=674', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(733, 7, '2013-01-13 22:30:34', '2013-01-13 22:30:34', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Maryna.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-734 alignleft" title="Maryna" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Maryna-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Maryna Roy came to the U.S. in 2010 from the Ukraine where she met and married her husband Michael who, as a member of the Army National Guard, was there with army buddies in 2009 on a break from their tour in Iraq.\n\n Maryna had earned a Master’s Degree in Management of Organization and worked as an Office Manager for several years. But she wanted additional education so she could combine her office administration experience with hands-on patient care. The problem: she knew her limited English language proficiency could make the classroom experience very difficult.\n\n “I knew I needed to keep up with other students, especially in English language classes,” says Maryna. “I had no choice, so I did extra reading and writing until it got easier and easier.” Medical terminology was especially difficult to master, but she was determined to overcome any language barriers.\n\n Her inspiration was her teacher, Sujanalatha De Almeida, who also came to the U.S. from another country. All along the way her teacher and mentor encouraged her and gave her confidence in herself. “She would tell me, ‘You’re doing great, you’re awesome, you’re smart,’” she says.\n\n Maryna is appreciative of all the support she got from her teachers and advisors. Mrs. De Almeida feels that Maryna is a source of inspiration to other students, as well. “I was impressed by Maryna’s dedication to her education,” she says. “She went through some challenging times, but never gave up.”\n\n One of those challenges was Maryna’s fear of needles. She dreaded performing a venipuncture and was greatly relieved when her first attempt was successful. “It made me feel that it’s the right place for me; a really good feeling,” she says.\n\n Maryna still made time for community volunteer work, including Hats for Hope, Visalia Rescue Mission events, Kid’s Day, Tulare County College Night and Constitution Day, while continuing educational opportunities such as Preconception Peer Educator Training (CSUF) and medical educational seminars.\n\n Maryna gives full credit to Michael, who has supported her throughout her return to college.\n\n “He let me go to school and I didn’t have to go to work, so there was no excuse for me to be a bad student,” she says. Although Maryna has had to leave her family behind, she feels as though Michael’s family welcomed her like a daughter. “His family became my family,” she says. And, somewhere, she knowsher parents and younger sister are feeling some pride in her success, as well.<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong> </strong>Maryna just got the news that her extern site wants her to come to work as a Medical\nAssistant after she graduates. She is on her way and loving all of it.<strong><em></em></strong>', 'Student Overcomes Language Barrier to Succeed', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'student-overcomes-language-barrier-to-succeed', '', '', '2013-01-13 22:30:34', '2013-01-13 22:30:34', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=733', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(857, 7, '2012-12-22 23:38:34', '2012-12-22 23:38:34', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Giving-Tree1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-859" title="The Giving Tree" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Giving-Tree1-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a>In early December,<a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula/"> SJVC Temecula </a>initiated the giving tree, an opportunity for families in need to receive gifts for their children and families. As of December 20<sup>th</sup>, nearly 40 wishes have been fulfilled by faculty, students, staff, and fundraising on campus. Extra funds for wishes were gathered by selling candygrams and delivering holiday messages delivered by students from Diversity, HOSA, ASB, and even Mr. Magilla the Christmas Gorilla. There was also an ugly sweater dress down day, giving students an opportunity to share in the holiday spirit, as well as compete for ugliest sweater!\n\n Lasting an entire month, the holiday can food drive was a huge success, refilling (and overflowing) the SJVC Temecula food pantry, and creating 8 holiday feasts for families in need on campus. Through competition between the floors, nearly 600 cans and non-perishable items were collected – <em>that’s over 2 items per student!</em> This effort helped provide some holiday feasts, as well as rejuvenate a long-lasting food pantry on campus for students in need.\n\n The alumni association is now in full swing! After having its first meeting, students graduating and about to graduate at SJVC Temecula had their first meeting towards the future of SJVC! Numerous ideas will soon be starting, including alumni events, a scholarship fund for new SJVC students, publications and testimonials, and more! If you’re interested in getting more information, or even helping plan the future of alumni at <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>, please contact Mr. Hall at 951 296 6015.', 'The Giving Tree', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'the-giving-tree', '', '', '2012-12-22 23:38:34', '2012-12-22 23:38:34', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=857', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(863, 7, '2013-01-17 22:26:50', '2013-01-17 22:26:50', '<a title="Visalia Campus" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-864" title="tab1" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/tab1-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Tabitha Lanning enjoys many meaningful family traditions with her grandparents, parents and three siblings – but a college degree was not one of them. She is happy to have pushed herself to be the first.\n\nHaving earned her B.S. in Kinesiology at Humboldt University in 2007 and spent a few years working in a medical environment, Tabitha set her sights on <a title="Physician Assistant " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/physician-assistant/">SJVC’s Physician Assistant program </a>in <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia </a>to take her ‘first’ even higher. “It’s not just being first to do it, but it’s important for me to learn and to participate in this field and to better support my family,” she says. Tabitha’s husband, Josh, is a paramedic, so a shared life in medicine seems natural.\n\nThere have been family hardships along the way. “I missed seeing my daughter receive an award during a school assembly and taking my son to his first day of pre-school,” says Tabitha. “Josh is Mr. Mom and pretty much takes care of the kids, house, and cooks and cleans,” she says. But 5-year old, Brynn, and 2-year old Zane will enjoy a more comfortable life for the sacrifices their parents are making right now.\n\nTabitha has committed herself to the requirements of her PA program – one of which is volunteerism. As Class President, she is responsible for organizing charitable events and PA student participation.  Competing for the national Student Society Award, set her class on fire in their efforts to do all they could to support community events, one of the award criteria. From Sept., 2012 until Jan. 15<sup>th</sup> all 24 of the PA students participated in most of 28-events, including Visalia Emergency Aid Toy Drive, Kids Fairs, Heart Walks, Visalia Parenting Network and National Rural Health Day. “We wanted to have a big impact on the community and help as many people – especially kids – as we could,” says Tabitha.\n\nTabitha was a driving force. “Mrs. Lanning’s work in the community and student leadership is exemplary and she serves as a role model for others in her class,” says PA Program Director Les Howard.\n\nAlthough, it is possible that Tabitha may be better known by classmates for another unique skill.  In response to a request by her Adult Medicine instructor for a volunteer to mimic the sound of an infant’s croup, Tabitha stepped forward and emitted a seal-like bark. “My kids and I like to play a game of making animal noises,” she says.\n\nIt looks as though Tabitha is starting two new enduring family traditions.', 'PA Student Is First In Family To Complete College', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'pa-student-is-first-in-family-to-complete-college', '', '', '2013-01-17 22:26:50', '2013-01-17 22:26:50', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=863', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(903, 7, '2013-01-29 16:40:44', '2013-01-29 16:40:44', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Heather-Zelenka.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-904" title="Heather Zelenka" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Heather-Zelenka-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>At 8-months old Heather Zelenka contracted spinal meningitis, at 10-years old she was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, and at age 12 she began to have petit mal seizures that caused her to lose consciousness for 2-15 minutes a half-dozen times a week. At age 21, while pregnant with her second child, they escalated into grand mal seizures. She was rarely able to be left alone, made a lot of confusing trips by ambulance to Emergency Rooms and, when she was old enough to drive, spent many years restricted from doing so.\n\nAs a young adult Heather wasn’t able to work, as employer risk for an on-site accident due to a seizure was too great. She took medications for both her seizures and diabetes that helped, but did not stop the constant medical interruptions in her life.\n\nFinally in 2009, at the age of 28, she underwent delicate brain surgery at Stanford University Medical Center that changed her life. Scar tissue was removed from the right side of her brain, and she has since had no reoccurrence of seizures. She began to think about a future free from the jarring Jack-in-the-box of frequent blackouts. Heather saw the key to her future in education.\n\nHeather enrolled in the <a title="SJVC Hanford" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/hanford/">Hanford</a> campus’s <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">Administrative Health Care Management </a>program in July, 2012. Recently divorced, just starting to trust the possibility of living seizure-free and focusing on raising her two children, Adrianna and Gabriel, alone, Heather took a leap of faith in herself.\n\n“I wanted to send a message to my kids that I didn’t give up and that even if there are downfalls, if you work hard and focus on the positives you will find a way,” she says.\n\nIt is still not an easy road for Heather. She must wear an insulin pump at all times, carefully monitor her sugar and carbohydrate intake and test her blood sugar levels several times a day. Her doctors warn her that her seizures could return, especially if she has a lot of stress in her life. And, going back to school is pretty universally stressful.\n\n“My biggest problem is stressing about tests,” says Heather. “That can cause my blood sugar to drop, so I always have to carry something to eat, just in case.”\n\nGraduation is just about a month away and Heather can finally see her way to the finish line. Her mantra this past year has been “Just let me finish”, she says. And, now she is surprised it has come so quickly. Her next goal is to work in a medical billing office and enjoy the simple pleasures of independence that continued good health provides.', 'Physical Disabilities Are No Match For Student’s Determination', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'physical-disabilities-are-no-match-for-students-determination', '', '', '2013-01-29 16:40:44', '2013-01-29 16:40:44', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=903', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(993, 7, '2013-02-06 17:37:51', '2013-02-07 01:37:51', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Sumer-Jackson.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-994" title="Sumer Jackson" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Sumer-Jackson.jpg" width="172" height="220" /></a>Sumer Avila has a clear vision of what <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://sjvc.edu/fresno/">SJVC’s Fresno</a> campus can become. “As one of the first three campuses, the Fresno campus has enjoyed a long-standing position of accomplishment,” says Ms. Avila. “The timing is great for new leadership to take it to new heights.”\n\nHaving spent two very productive years as the Director of Instruction at the corporate office in Visalia, Ms. Avila was excited to get back among students and into a position that might impact them more precisely. “The most rewarding position in the institution is that of a Campus Director,” she says. “I want to play a direct role in transforming student lives through enrollment, graduation and job placement assistance.”\n\nMs. Avila’s education, experience in the field and affinity for hands-on leadership and team-building position her and her campus for great success. Her education includes a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, and she is currently working on her Doctorate, with plans to defend her dissertation in December, 2014.\n\nPrevious to <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>, Ms. Avila worked for almost ten years in public education as an administrator, where she honed her skills in staff development, stakeholder collaboration and quality education and service provision.\n\nAnd, there is a lot of change ahead for the Fresno campus. “My heart has always been in working with students and teams, those who are change agents,” says Avila, who vows to bring some fun and innovation back into Fresno’s campus life. Some exciting changes include:\n<ul>\n	<li>The campus is due for an aesthetic make-over and message boards, posters, student photos and display cabinets will be updated and brightened.</li>\n	<li>Classrooms will enjoy hi-tech ‘i-clickers, a student hand-held voting device that will allow instructors to poll students at any point to get immediate feedback on lesson understanding. It is a ‘thumb on the pulse’ tool that will guide instructors on pace, clarity and comprehension of their lessons/demonstrations.</li>\n	<li>A Bring-a-friend-to-class Day and Student Appreciation Day will be combined to increase the fun level. A ‘What not to Wear to an Interview’ fashion show is planned during which staff and faculty will model unsuitable business attire, while students will model appropriate dress-for-success looks.</li>\n</ul>\nMs. Avila is often seen walking the Fresno campus halls to connect with students, observing classes and meeting with students. “I want to find out what we are doing that works for them, what contributes to their success, so that we can focus on more of those kinds of behaviors and practices,” she says.\n\nSumer Avila models the work ethic and leadership of her mentor, Wendy Mendes, SJVC’s Vice President of Administration and who will celebrate 35-years with the college this year. “She is the most inspiring person who demonstrates the greatest balance of unwavering pursuit of excellence with the admiration of and love for our students,” says Avila. “I look up to her for what she has accomplished.”\n\nSumer Avila knows something about balance. After a long work-day and on weekends she restores some of her energy and quiets her active mind with preparation for a local triathlon scheduled for April. Each week she spends about 10-hours swimming, biking and running in preparation of the big event.\n\nHer eyes are always on the prize, and her students and her campus are sure to benefit.', 'New Campus Director Settles Into Fresno', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'new-campus-director-settles-into-fresno', '', '', '2013-02-06 17:37:51', '2013-02-07 01:37:51', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=993', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1042, 7, '2013-02-08 20:54:55', '2013-02-08 20:54:55', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BAK-Red-Day-451.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1044" title="BAK Red Day-45" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BAK-Red-Day-451-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a>Over 250 students got to take their educational experience a little more personally when SJVC’s Bakersfield campus held a <em>Go Red </em>resource fair to provide information about women’s heart and health issues. The event, held on Feb. 7<sup>th</sup> from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM provided a dozen booths that offered tips on healthy eating, staying fit and other ways to prevent the number one killer among women – heart disease.\n\nJudy Snyder, Allied Health Coordinator for the Bakersfield campus, saw the benefit of providing students, staff and faculty with an opportunity to learn more about this important women’s health issue and so spearheaded this event to promote awareness.  “Planning gathered momentum quickly because so many of us, students and staff, have powerful personal stories of heart disease and its effect in our own families,” she says. “I promoted the idea because we train many students to save lives using BLS CPR, ACLS and PALS and I thought it was time to focus on healthy habits, restoration of good health, and breaking the familial cycles of heart disease.”\n\n“Our medical program students, especially, are used to studying about providing care for others, but this event gave them the chance to focus their attention on themselves and identify any health risks they might need to address,” added Melissa Gonzales, Dean of Student Services.\n\nA mobile clinic provided a screening that included height, weight, vitals and a cholesterol screening was particularly popular among students, staff and faculty. “A lot of our students had noted in their comment section that they were concerned about being overweight, and they were given lots of information about how to make healthier lifestyle and food choices,” says Gonzales. Obesity is a growing health threat nationwide.\n\n“It was fun and exciting to promote student health,” says Career Services Manager, Chelsea. “They were really engaged and it gave us the chance to connect with our students on a different level.”\n\nHeart disease affects more women than men, is deadlier than all forms of cancer combined and is the cause of death for 1 in 3 women. It affects women of all ages.  For younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking boosts heart disease risks by 20 percent. And while the risks do increase with age, things like overeating and a sedentary lifestyle can cause plaque to accumulate and lead to clogged arteries later in life.\n\nSymptoms of a heart attack include:\n<ul>\n	<li>Uncomfortable squeezing, pressure, fullness or pain in the center of your chest</li>\n	<li>Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach</li>\n	<li>Shortness of breath</li>\n	<li>Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness</li>\n</ul>\n“I think it is something, as young people, we need to be aware of because my father passed away of a heart attack at 31, so it doesn’t matter how young you are,” says Amber Shaw, HCIS student.\n\n“The goal of our health resource fair was to take health conditions to the next level of understanding and provide information for follow-up care,” says Gonzales.\n\nA dress-down day also allowed students to raise money to donate to the American Heart Association.', 'Bakersfield campus holds Go Red for Women event', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'bakersfield-campus-holds-go-red-for-women-event', '', '', '2013-02-08 20:54:55', '2013-02-08 20:54:55', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1042', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1050, 7, '2013-02-12 16:57:33', '2013-02-12 16:57:33', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/aviation-preschool1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1052" title="aviation preschool" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/aviation-preschool1-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Wooden airplanes were crashing everywhere, as the 3-5 year olds tried their budding piloting skills during a recent <em>Parent Career Fair </em>at Northside Preschool in Clovis. Jason Alves, SJVC’s Aviation program’s Academic Dean and Program Director, Richard Simmons, introduced potential Aviation students – Class of 2027 or so – to the thrill of flight and the eventuality of aircraft repair, with the SJVC promotional paper airplanes they gave the excited group.\n\nDuring the question-and-answer part of the presentation, almost all of the 15-young students raised their hands when Mr. Alves asked how many had ever flown in an airplane. Many had traveled to Hawaii and some to the Caribbean. “The kids really wanted to know which tools in their toy toolbox were used to fix airplanes,” says Alves.\n\nRichard Simmons talked to the preschoolers about aviation careers and aircraft mechanics and then entertained them with the deft maneuvering of three radio-controlled helicopters. “The kids loved watching the helicopters buzz around,” says Alves.\n\n“We were not there to sign up new prospects for the college, but maybe we planted some seeds that might inspire some of these kids to seek an aviation career at SJVC in the future,” says Jason Alves, whose son, Trig, was one of the Northside preschoolers in attendance. “It’s never too early to promote the benefits of a college education.”', 'More Training Needed for Airplane Enthusiasts', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'more-training-needed-for-airplane-enthusiasts', '', '', '2013-02-12 16:57:33', '2013-02-12 16:57:33', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1050', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1085, 7, '2013-02-06 23:55:18', '2013-02-07 07:55:18', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSC05569.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1086" alt="DSC05569" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSC05569-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Staff and faculty at the Hesperia campus are all on board for a <i>Go Green </i>campaign to replace Styrofoam cups in their employee lounge with travel mugs and lids. Misty Christensen, Dean of Student Services, came up with the idea in a management meeting when Facilities Manager, Mike Shuster, asked for ways the college might decrease supplies spending by 5% over the next year.\n\n“It just makes sense and would be fairly easy to do,” says Misty. Everyone agreed. Monday, Feb. 11<sup>th</sup> is the target date for the conversion. The approximately 80 staff and faculty members will bring their mugs from home to enjoy during breaks and find them fresh out of the dishwasher at the start of each new day.\n\nBut, the campaign impacts more than the fairly modest cost-savings realized from taking Styrofoam cups off the supply list. “Styrofoam cannot be completely recycled and will pile up in landfills for 500 years,” says Misty. “Also, when it is heated the harmful chemicals in Styrofoam can leach out into hot food.” The advantages of replacing Styrofoam cups are threefold: curbs costs, protects the environment and provides health benefits.\n\nStyrofoam is the brand name of a plastic product whose generic name is polystyrene. Here are a few facts that convinced SJVC staff and faculty to kick the Styrofoam habit.\n\n<b>Health effects:</b>\n<ul>\n	<li>Irritation of the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal effects. Chronic exposure affects the central nervous system showing symptoms such as depression, headache, fatigue, and weakness, and can cause minor effects on kidney function and blood. Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).*</li>\n	<li>This material is notorious for breaking up into pieces that choke animals and clog their digestive systems.*</li>\n	<li>Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that they contain (especially when heated in a microwave). These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems.*</li>\n	<li>These products are made with petroleum, a non-sustainable and heavily polluting resource.*</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>Earth effects:</b>\n<ul>\n	<li>Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year. **</li>\n	<li>Styrofoam is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. According to Washington University, Styrofoam takes 500 years to decompose; it cannot be recycled, so the Styrofoam cups dumped in landfills are there to stay. With enough Styrofoam cups produced each day to circle the earth if lined up end to end, the potential for major ecological impact is great.**</li>\n	<li>Polystyrene recycling is not "closed loop" - collected polystyrene cups are not remanufactured into cups, but into other products, such as packing filler and cafeteria trays. This means that more resources will have to be used, and more pollution created, to produce more polystyrene cups.*</li>\n</ul>\n“I never liked seeing all the Styrofoam cups in the trash can and am happy we are all going to do something about it,” says Misty.\n\nThis just may be an idea that catches fire. Already the campus is looking at ways to take the green plunge even deeper. Creative thinking includes the possibility of recycling in the student break room, declaring a Paper-free Day for the school where all of the usual paper-driven correspondence and assignments are done electronically, and introducing a carpool initiative that builds a database to promote student ride-sharing. The side benefit to a sophisticated ride-share system is the potential to impact student attendance, enrollment/census and a positive effect on the environment with decreased auto emissions.\n\nHesperia staff and faculty launching the <i>Go Green </i>campaign are using posters, e-mail reminders and active word-of-mouth to keep the momentum strong.\n\nIf all the SJVC campuses take Hesperia’s prototype and make it work on their campuses, an even greater dent will be made toward costs, environmental concerns and individual health.\n\n*Source - Earth Resource Foundation – Costa Mesa, CA\n\n**Source - Live Strong\n\n&nbsp;', 'Hesperia Campus Goes Green', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hesperia-campus-goes-green', '', '', '2013-02-06 23:55:18', '2013-02-07 07:55:18', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1085', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1055, 7, '2013-02-14 17:04:36', '2013-02-14 17:04:36', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SJVC-Dog-House.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1056" title="SJVC Dog House" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SJVC-Dog-House-290x290.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></a> Thanks to Construction Management students, Antonio Escobedo, Eddie Hernandez and Miguel Urbina some lucky dog has a new, upscale place to call home.\n\nAll three <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">Rancho Cucamonga </a>CM students volunteered their design and construction skills to build an elaborate pet house for an auction and raffle supporting HomeAid Inland Empire, a non-profit organization affiliated with the home-building industry that provides housing for homeless and low-income families. “They had a great time doing it and appreciated the process and final product,” says Steve Matley, CM Program Director.\n\nIn keeping with their educational experience at <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>, the students chose to design an old fashioned, cartoon style schoolhouse, complete with a working school bell. The finished school house was 6 feet long, 4 feet wide and over 6 feet tall, and weighed over 700 lbs.  The students attached large industrial locking casters to make it easier to move. The students also hand-painted a window image on the side of the school house depicting Snoopy, of the comic strip <em>Peanuts</em> fame, as a jailbird with his faithful pal Woodstock bringing him keys to escape. A sturdy wood-grain and water-resistant linoleum porch will give someone’s favorite pet a nice place to sit and protect his domain.\n\nThe SJVC doghouse took about a week to design and a couple of weekends to build. “They were proud of their work,” says Matley. Their well-crafted design was on display, with about a dozen other pet house contributions, at the Eastvale Shopping Center for two weeks.\n\nThe SJVC students, all members of the San Joaquin Valley College Chapter of the NAHB (National Association of Homebuilders), partnered with the local Building Industry Association (BIA-SC, BV) and the Homebuilders Institute (HBI) mentoring program. They provided the funding and the SJVC students provided the design and construction.  The students completed the project within the $1200.00 budget and delivered it to the display and auction event where a very happy couple and their dog won themselves a pet house that will be the envy of the neighborhood.\n\n All of the proceeds went to HomeAid, a very appreciative beneficiary of the event.', 'A Dog''s Life Just Got a Little Better', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-dogs-life-just-got-a-little-better', '', '', '2013-02-14 17:04:36', '2013-02-14 17:04:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1055', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1062, 7, '2013-02-14 19:37:23', '2013-02-14 19:37:23', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maria-Moreno.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1063" title="Maria Moreno" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maria-Moreno-290x290.jpg" width="261" height="261" /></a>At the completion of her first <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">Administrative Health Care Management</a> program module Maria Moreno was strongly considering dropping out. She had failed her mid-term and barely passed her final with a “D”. She hadn’t been a student since graduating from high school 13-years earlier, and the accelerated program and high expectations of her instructor were proving to be just too much.\n\n“I was nervous, overwhelmed and stressed,” says Maria, whose Terminology Part II class left her bewildered. “I had no idea what I was doing and the words were like a different language to me.”\n\nHer lack of academic success forced her to take a hard look at her decision to return to school after such a long absence. She dug in. “I can’t quit like this,” she thought. “This is my future, my career, and I’m not going to let this scare me away.” Instead, she looked at how she could better balance her life as a wife, mother and student. Something was going to have to change, and she needed help from her husband, Felipe and her six boys, ranging in age from 1-14 years old, to make it work.\n\nFelipe had encouraged Maria to go to college and jumped in to take care of the house and kids – even cooking, while balancing his own business. But their older boys weren’t so sure. “Aren’t you too old for that?” they asked. That did it. Maria was determined to show her children the importance of sacrifice and of finishing what you start. “I want to be an example for my kids,” says Maria. “I want them to say, ‘If my mom can do it, I can do it.’”  No excuses.\n\nMaria gives it everything she’s got. She usually only has an hour of family time each night, then she hits the books until around 2:00 am. Weekends are spent using flash cards and study guides to make sure she is getting all of the material down. She went from a 1.8 GPA to earning As in all her classes.\n\nHer kids are quietly taking notice and have gone from their own feelings of low self-confidence to dreams of a better life they might create. “They are all saying, ‘I want to be this, or do that’”, she says. “One wants to get a Business degree to open his own pawn shop, one wants to work for the FBI, and another wants to be a CHP,” says Maria. Suddenly anything is possible.\n\nMaria isn’t through dreaming either. After she completes the AHCM certificate program, she will go directly into the degree-granting program. She has hopes of starting her own medical billing and coding business one day. No one doubts she will do it.', 'Overwhelmed Student Decides To Stick It Out', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'overwhelmed-students-decides-to-stick-it-out', '', '', '2013-02-14 19:37:23', '2013-02-14 19:37:23', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1062', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(1067, 7, '2013-02-19 16:31:26', '2013-02-19 16:31:26', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Barbara-Sousa.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1068" alt="Barbara Sousa" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Barbara-Sousa-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Two things threatened Barbara Sousa’s dream to enroll at <a title="SJVC" href="http://sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> in Hanford: she didn’t have a ‘green card’ and she had only begun to learn English four years earlier as a high school sophomore. And, without a Permanent Resident card, Barbara would not qualify for Financial Aid or student loans. She was crushed – but not deterred.\n\nBarbara Sousa and her parents, Joao and Albertina, came to the U.S. from Portugal in 2007 with the hope of a better life. Her dad began work at a local dairy and Barbara was thrust into a school with classmates and a language she didn’t know. She cried every day and begged her parents to take her back to the familiarity of her home country.  “They just kept telling me that my tears would be worth it,” says Barbara. As she began to learn English, make new friends and earn good grades in school, she started to believe them.\n\nEncouraged by her success in high school, Barbara wanted to go to the next level. “I analyzed my options and realized that I wanted something fast, where I could get in, get out and get ahead,” she says. She found the school of her dreams to be SJVC. However, during the enrollment process she found that, without a Permanent Resident card or I.D. she could not become a student. Heartbroken, she stepped back to plan a new course of action.\n\nArmed with renewed determination and the immigration process in full motion, Barbara was accepted into the Administrative Health Care Management program. Over the course of her AHCM program she excelled academically, earning a 4.0 GPA, Perfect Attendance and Dean’s List awards and was a National Technical Honor Society member. She also earned her Permanent Resident status from the INS.\n\nBut all of this success did not come easily to Barbara. Without Financial Aid, the financial burden on her and her family was considerable. Barbara worked as a house and office cleaner, babysitter, helper on the dairy and was one of Santa’s elves during the Christmas holiday to contribute everything she could to what her parents paid each month. “There are really no words to describe how much I appreciate them and what they’ve done for me,” says Barbara.\n\nBarbara’s parents are her motivation to push herself to succeed. “I saw how hard it is for my parents to get what they have,” she says. Her parents, with only an elementary school education, knew that their daughter’s future depended on her education. Barbara is the first to graduate high school and earn a college degree in her immediate family.\n\nNot surprisingly, Barbara was asked to speak at her graduation ceremony last October. Her voice was an inspiration when she said, “Things can get tough to the point that you feel like giving up. But always remember, when one door closes, two more will open.”\n\n“I believe that God has a plan for all of us,” says Barbara. “And, I’m taking advantage of everything He has given me.”', 'Student Pushes Through Without Financial Aid', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'student-pushes-through-without-financial-aid', '', '', '2013-02-19 16:31:26', '2013-02-19 16:31:26', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1067', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1074, 7, '2013-02-26 17:44:14', '2013-02-26 17:44:14', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/553382_159681270840807_351391281_n.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1075" alt="553382_159681270840807_351391281_n" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/553382_159681270840807_351391281_n.jpg" width="213" height="206" /></a>Anthony Garcia found more than a career path when he began the <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-office/">Administrative Health Care Management</a> program in <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula">Temecula</a>. He found the courage, which steadfastly eluded him throughout high school, to come out as a gay man.\n\nAnthony was determined to start his new school with the truth of who he is and not “clam up”, as he had all his life, about something so important to his identity. “When I finally told some classmates straight out that I was gay they said, ‘Oh, we don’t care,’” says Anthony. Their attitude was a big shift from those he endured the previous year when word of his sexual orientation began to surface. “2011 was the worst year of my life,” he says. But, it was also a year of great promise for positive change.\n\nAnthony’s parents were hardest hit with his disclosure. “It took my mom awhile to accept it, but now she is very supportive,” he says. Anthony went through a few months of self-destructive behaviors that friends helped pull him through. “Friends helped me in the first months of coming out by texting and making sure I was alright,” he says. “Their support made me feel more accepted.” He decided, “If this is who you are, you should not be afraid to express it; and people who love you will still be there for you.”\n\nSchool was his refuge and he began to open up to others. “I became more outgoing, not afraid to be myself and would talk to and be friends with anybody,” he says. Anthony was given the Notable Newbie Award for reaching out to other students and helping them to do well. His own academic performance excelled. Never a very good student in high school, he was surprised to find himself making As and Bs in his coursework. “Seeing my grades made me feel even more confident and like this is really right for me,” he says. His parents are very proud of his accomplishments, as well.\n\nAnthony gives a lot of credit to the culture of a private college compared to a community education system. “It’s like coming into a family with all that support behind you,” he says. “I would love for those who are afraid to go to school because of their sexual orientation to not be afraid,” he says. “Everyone here welcomed me with open arms.”\n\nAsthmatic throughout his childhood, Anthony is eager to enter the medical field and help others struggling with health issues. What is his greatest inspiration? “Life is my biggest inspiration; seeing the world another day; helping people another day,” says Anthony.\n\nHis commitment to being an ‘open book’ has many more heartfelt chapters unfolding.', 'Student Finds Courage To Be Himself', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'student-finds-courage-to-be-himself', '', '', '2013-02-26 17:44:14', '2013-02-26 17:44:14', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1074', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1078, 7, '2013-02-26 18:27:58', '2013-02-26 18:27:58', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/CAMA-PICTURE.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1079" alt="CAMA PICTURE" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/CAMA-PICTURE-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>When students at the Lancaster campus walked into Ms. Beneby’s classroom last Wednesday, a feeling of nervousness and excitement was in the air. <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Medical Assisting </a>(MA) students were told that this week they would assist a medical provider in applying and removing sutures (stitches) from a healing laceration. In preparation for this lab, students were to bring in a pig’s foot, the specimen selected to receive the procedure. Although, a pig’s foot may seem unconventional, it is actually the perfect material for students to use in training because the skin is extremely similar to that of a human. Students would be able to test their skills on material that closely replicates the properties of human skin. MA students jumped at the chance to have this real-life experience and practice this valuable skill.\n\nJust as they would when at work in a medical office, students performed a surgical scrub and ''gowned-up'', ensuring physical protection with surgical masks, gowns, caps, and gloves. The class learned the importance of sterilization and protection from transferred contaminants, for both patient and medical provider safety. Protective gear and sterilized instruments  are a large part of that safety precaution. With the students professionally outfitted and poised with proper tools, the wound treatment and suturing began.\n\nUnder their supervising instructor''s watchful eyes and instructive voice, students kept steady hands, as they exercised and explored different techniques for this procedure. In this simulation, one student assisted a student-doctor who applied sutures to the specimen, while another student dabbed the bleeding laceration with gauze. What began at the start of the lab as many nervous students uncertain about what to do, ended with many who had gained a great deal of confidence in their new-found abilities. Ms. Beneby''s calm instruction put the students at ease and helped them to become comfortable with the ins and outs of suturing. (A little stitching pun.) At the end of the procedure, students were reluctant to get rid of their little lab subjects that had become a symbol of this medical milestone and their fun at its mastering.\n\n“Excitement with a side of fear,” is how one student described her feelings going in to this lab. Students were up for the challenge of the assignment and knew that one day soon they would be doing this as a common service of their chosen profession. Keeping up their skills now will only make working in a medical office easier when they eventually step into that role. Student’s know that the training they receive in class will benefit them in the work place and give them a huge advantage when competing for top medical assisting positions once they graduate.', 'This Little Piggy Went To...Lab', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'this-little-piggy-went-to-lab', '', '', '2013-02-26 18:27:58', '2013-02-26 18:27:58', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1078', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1090, 7, '2013-03-05 16:41:36', '2013-03-05 16:41:36', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Angie-Gonzalez.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1091" alt="Angie Gonzalez" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Angie-Gonzalez-290x290.png" width="290" height="290" /></a>Angie Gonzales’s 30<sup>th</sup> birthday was about to hit and she wasn’t happy about it. “I was sitting around at home after work every day, wanting to do something more with my life, but I didn’t have the education,” says Angie. “I felt like I was watching my life go by.”\n\nMany people might sit quietly in their discontent, or wail at the walls, but not Angie. Birthday or not, she thought, “I’m still young.” And, she set out to make a big change. She enrolled in the <a title="Pharmacy Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology/">Pharmacy Technology</a> program at the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/">Bakersfield campus</a>.\n\nShe loves the small class sizes and credits the extra focus given by teachers and close-knit student friendships with getting her through the tough spots. Things got off to a good start with her first instructor, Wendy Kolb, who made sure Angie knew she would always be in her corner. “She was always there for me with math, encouragement, anything I needed – even a reference when I graduate,” says Angie. “All the support I’ve received from teachers and students is probably why I’m still here. All my teachers make sure I understand the material.”\n\nThere’s another very big reason for Angie’s commitment to her education and the better life it will provide.  Angie’s 8-year old daughter, Aleyna, is always on her mind. “I want to make sure she is happy and that I can provide for her,” says Angie. “I also want to be a role-model for her so that she knows she can go to college and graduate, too.” Angie is the first among her 5-siblings to go to college and she wants her effort to make a positive impression on Aleyna.\n\nStill, the road isn’t easy. Angie works full-time for a cardiologist from 8:00-5:00 every day and goes to class from 5:30-10:15, Monday-Thursday. She knows she wouldn’t be able to hold that kind of schedule without the help of her parents, who provide a home for her and Aleyna. “Without guidance, encouragement and support from my parents, I would not have accomplished what I have today,” says Angie. “They take good care of my daughter and I can’t thank them enough.”\n\nLeaving every day, all day isn’t easy. “Aleyna asks me to stop going to school and please stay home,” says Angie. “But, I tell her that I’m doing this for us, for a better future.” They are almost there.\n\n"It was a great experience overall, and I’m glad to have taken that step to continue my education and improve my life", says Angie.', 'A Birthday Wake-up Call', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-birthday-wake-up-call', '', '', '2013-03-05 16:41:36', '2013-03-05 16:41:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1090', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1094, 7, '2013-03-05 20:15:02', '2013-03-05 20:15:02', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/TShirt-Image-01.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1095" alt="TShirt Image-01" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/TShirt-Image-01-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>The Online campus is making the most of <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s new inspirational t-shirts by giving them to students who need a little lift in spirit. The motivational messages on the tees are speaking to student struggles and reminding them that their sacrifices are worth it.\n\n“One student called us right away when she received her <i>‘Never Give Up!’ </i>T-shirt to thank us and let us know that, even though she had been struggling, she was able to pass her course with a ‘B’,” says Nickie Acevedo, Administrative Assistant to the Deans. A little encouragement at just the right time can make a difference.\n\nThe T-shirts are gifted through the <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.eduonline" target="_blank">Online</a> campus’s Student Support Fund, which committee members use to help students with small but pressing financial needs, or who deserve recognition, or a little reward for outstanding work. In addition to T-shirts, the Student Support Fund might help students with a gas card, bus pass, baby diapers or maybe a gift card to help purchase an outfit appropriate for a job interview.  Students on the Dean’s List might get one of the new motivational T-shirts or some other treat in recognition of their hard work.\n\nThe Online campus raises money for the Student Services Fund by having lunch sales, selling snacks and through other campus initiatives.\n\nThis new line of colorful, student-savvy tees is available for purchase for $6.00, using Paypal or a credit card on SJVC’s Facebook page: <a title="SJVC on Facebook" href="http://www.facebook.com/sjvcs" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/sjvcs</a>.  There is no charge for shipping if you pick up your purchase at your campus Student Center; otherwise it is $4.00 for shipping it elsewhere. SJVC is selling the T-shirts at cost – plus a dollar donation to a fellow campus. You can ‘browse the racks’ at <a title="SJVC T-shirt Store" href="https://www.facebook.com/SJVCs/app_515661228485859" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/SJVCs/app_515661228485859</a>.\n\nThe Online campus is the first to enjoy the proceeds from March sales and hope to replenish their Student Support Fund, which has only been in operation for a couple of months. Each month a new campus will be the beneficiary of a dollar from each T-shirt sale to use for their campus fund. And, we’re hoping the bucks add up fast.\n\nJust know that when you buy and wear one of SJVC’s new, inspirational T-shirts, you are showing school pride and helping other students through a rough patch, at the same time. Looking good…feeling good.  Helping, celebrating each other in our global SJVC family.', 'Looking Good...Feeling Good', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'looking-good-feeling-good', '', '', '2013-03-05 20:15:02', '2013-03-05 20:15:02', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1094', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1107, 7, '2013-03-11 21:40:23', '2013-03-12 04:40:23', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AAAAA.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1108" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AAAAA-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Twenty-eight fourth-term <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy</a> students and two faculty members from the <a title="SJVC Rancho Cordova" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cordova/">Rancho Cordova</a> campus visited Sacramento Hyperbarics, a privately-owned hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) clinic recently. They were treated to an overview of the history of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, learned about the various diseases and injuries whose treatment benefits from HBOT, as well as reimbursement strategies.\n\nTwo patients consented to being observed by the students during their treatment sessions. Another patient volunteered to speak to the students about his personal experience with HBOT.\n\nThe students were then introduced to George Visger, a former member of the San Francisco 49’ers and Super Bowl winner. George is a biologist and advocate for Traumatic Brain Injury. Because of the multiple brain injuries he sustained over the course of his football career, George underwent extensive treatments with HBOT, which greatly aided his recovery. He now travels around the country, speaking to various medical groups and others, in an effort to raise awareness of the benefits of HBOT for the treatment of traumatic brain injury. George spoke to the students at length, which made the field trip event more memorable for everyone.\n\nWe are grateful for the generous welcome we received from Sacramento Hyperbarics and their patients. We look forward to visiting them again with future cohorts.\n<div>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n</div>', 'Field Trip To Sacramento Hyperbarics', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'field-trip-to-sacramento-hyperbarics', '', '', '2013-03-11 21:40:23', '2013-03-12 04:40:23', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1107', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1111, 7, '2013-03-12 16:10:59', '2013-03-12 16:10:59', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Honor-Society.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1112" alt="Honor Society" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Honor-Society-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Heads held high, seven <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/" target="_blank">Bakersfield</a> students received the highest acclaim of induction into the National Technical Honor Society, during a ceremony held on campus last month. Eligibility for induction includes a minimum 90% attendance rate, 3.5 GPA and completion of a community service component. Those seven students are:\n<ul>\n	<li>John Montoya, Pharmacy Technology</li>\n	<li>Gabriela Gastelum, Health Care Insurance Specialist</li>\n	<li>Andrea Vigil, Health Care Insurance Specialist</li>\n	<li>Heidi Albarillo, Diagnostic Medical Sonography</li>\n	<li>Joe Flores Villaneuva, Pharmacy Technology</li>\n	<li>Valerie Garcia, Health Care Insurance Specialist</li>\n	<li>Sahara Sanchez, Business Administration</li>\n</ul>\nStudents’ friends and family attended the candlelight ceremony and watched them recite the induction pledge. Inductees receive a certificate of membership, special scholarship opportunities, letter of recognition for potential employers or education facilities, lifetime membership in the Honor Society and are allowed to wear the distinguishing regalia of stole and tassel at their graduation ceremony.\n\n“It’s a really proud moment for our students and their families,” says Melissa Gonzales, Dean of Student Services at the Bakersfield campus. “It’s very austere and nice that they receive this honor in front of their families.”\n\nIn addition to academic and attendance qualifiers, students perform a minimum of 30-community service hours in areas of need, such as hospitals and homeless shelters and with various <a title="San Joaquin Valley College" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC</a> events and functions, such as New Student Orientation tours.\n\nSJVC’s National Technical Honor Society members are acknowledged at graduation ceremonies twice each year and receive a special certificate of accomplishment.', 'Honor Society Ceremony Held On Bakersfield Campus', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'honor-society-ceremony-held-on-bakersfield-campus', '', '', '2013-03-12 16:10:59', '2013-03-12 16:10:59', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1111', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1120, 7, '2013-03-12 17:04:39', '2013-03-13 00:04:39', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WP_000207-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1121" alt="WP_000207-1" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WP_000207-1-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>“Sitting is not one of my best qualities; I like to keep moving at all times,” says Tiffany Sherrill. That explains a lot. It explains how Tiffany has managed to get her Certified Nursing Assistant training (2008), survive a head-on car crash (2009), stay afloat after a divorce that left her the sole supporter of her seven children (2009) and still enroll in <a title="SJVC Medical Assistant program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/" target="_blank">SJVC’s Clinical Medical Assisting program</a> in which she consistently made the Dean’s List and earned Perfect Attendance at the Hanford campus.\n\nTiffany’s now nine children, ranging in age from 3-months to 11-years old, see her energy and focus in action every day. “I tell them, if I can do it, they can do it,” she says. “I don’t allow my kids to miss anything they don’t have to. I make it to school every day so they can too.” Her fiancé, Armando, is also a big help. “He works days and kept the kids at night, while I was at school,” says Tiffany, who just completed her program’s externship. Their son, Kaleo, was born toward the end of her program. Tiffany’s mom, Vicky, was there for her every step of the way, as well.\n\nBut Tiffany’s story goes much deeper. Her love of the medical field and her need to care for others can be traced to her grandparents, whom she would visit summers in Oklahoma, while she was in elementary school. Tiffany’s grandmother, Ruth, spent 30-years working in a nursing home, caring for the elderly, and Tiffany grew up helping to feed and cheer those in her grandmother’s care. “She taught me that it doesn’t matter what life brings, you just have to rise to the occasion,” says Tiffany, who took that message to heart.\n\nTiffany’s grandfather, Charles, was another source of inspiration. When she was 7 or 8 years old she helped him deliver a foal that was trapped within the mare’s placenta. “I tore him out of the bag and saved his life,” she says. “And, I promised my grandfather right then that I would make a life out of saving the lives of others.”\n\nShe is well on her way. When Tiffany graduates this April, she is already planning her next move up the medical career ladder by focusing on pre-requisites needed to enroll in an RN program. “I love drawing blood and working directly with patients,” she says. “What I write down in their charts is what the doctor needs to begin to treat them.”\n\nWherever she puts her considerable skill and determination, she will make certain that her children benefit along the way. Not only will they have a more comfortable life in the home Tiffany hopes to buy one day, but they will benefit from being close to the force of nature and source of wisdom that comes directly to them from their mother, their inspiration. She tells them, “Remember, if you reach for the stars, you’ll never accept anything less.”', 'Nine Children Motivate Student Toward Better Life', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'nine-children-motivate-student-toward-better-life', '', '', '2013-03-12 17:04:39', '2013-03-13 00:04:39', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1120', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1127, 7, '2013-03-19 16:07:33', '2013-03-19 16:07:33', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Kylie-Johnson.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1128" alt="Kylie Johnson" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Kylie-Johnson-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Kylie Johnson had always worked in a criminal justice environment, starting with the Bakersfield Police’s Explorers program and finally in the US Army’s Military Police. But, after exploring her options with an <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> admissions advisor, she found herself drawn to the <a title="Dental Assistant program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/dental-assistant/" target="_blank">Dental Assisting program</a>. Shortly after starting the DA program, she knew it was the right move.\n\n“I loved it,” says Kylie, who at first thought the 14-month program would feel like forever. “Once it got going, it went really fast,” she says. “The teachers knew what they were doing and made sure we understood everything. They were always there for us.”\n\nIt didn’t take long for Kylie to find kindred spirits among the other DA students. “We were all there for the same thing,” she says. That shared goal brought them closer together. When Kylie was having trouble getting to school on time because her son’s pre-school was so far away, someone suggested one that fit perfectly with Kylie’s schedule.\n\nKylie’s husband, Zachary is in the military and was stationed in So. Korea, for most of the time Kylie was in the DA program. Kylie and their 3-year old son, Aiden, lived with her mom, Lisa and Kylie’s sister, Samantha, who both pitched in to make school possible. “I had great family support,” says Kylie who used her mom’s car to get to and from school.\n\nKylie took two important things away from her experience at SJVC: “I learned so much in the DA program and met some great people along the way.”\n\nA lifelong resident of Bakersfield, Kylie recently moved with Zachary and Aiden to Colorado, where Zachary is currently stationed. They will be there for at least three of Zachary’s 6-year tour. “It’s time for me to get back to work,” says Kylie, who is looking forward to her first job in her new industry. She only plans to work as a Dental Assistant for a few years, however. “I want to advance my career and go back to school to get my DDS,” says Kylie.\n\nIt is important to Kylie to prove herself both in her field and as a provider for her family. “It’s a different kind of pride for you to say that you can do that, too,” she says.\n\nKylie isn’t sure if she can return to Bakersfield for the graduation ceremony in March. She didn’t get to walk across a stage for her high school graduation, getting her GED and enlisting in the Army instead. If Kylie isn’t able to make the trip back to share the stage with her fellow DA graduates, she wants to tell them something. “Thank you guys for being such a great support team. When I thought I would never get to the end, you helped me so much.”', 'Career Path Takes Sudden Turn', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'career-path-takes-sudden-turn', '', '', '2013-03-19 16:07:33', '2013-03-19 16:07:33', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1127', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1132, 7, '2013-03-19 16:26:03', '2013-03-19 16:26:03', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1133" alt="Visalia New Year Scholarships" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Fourteen students at SJVC’s <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/" target="_blank">Visalia</a> campus were proud recipients of <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarships.  “I had to quit my job to be able to attend SJVC full-time and I was concerned about making ends meet,” says Christa Cunningham, <a title="Respiratory Therapy program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/" target="_blank">Respiratory Therapy</a> student and scholarship recipient. “This scholarship was very helpful to me, because it allows me to focus completely on getting my degree and doing well in my program, without the added worry of finances."\n\nThe scholarship program was introduced in July, 2012 as a way to celebrate 2013’s first start date and benefit some of those students beginning their new career path. Over subsequent months, Visalia Admissions Teams earned scholarship funds with each new student enrolled who was scheduled to start on January 28<sup>th</sup>. All of those students were encouraged to apply for a scholarship, which ranged in value from $500 to $1,500.\n\nThe <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarship program generated a lot of excitement among Admissions Teams, as they built the award fund to $8,400.\n\nA selection committee, comprised of SJVC staff and faculty, chose scholarship award recipients based primarily upon student responses to two essay questions on their applications. Student responses helped the committee to better understand the goals, obstacles and determination those students held for their successful college experience.\n\nScholarship recipients received a tuition credit in their first academic year at SJVC for the award amount. Those 14-students are:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPrisilla Garcia-Ramos                          Health Care Administration\n\nCynthia Guerrero                                Medical Assisting\n\nJonathan Hernandez                           Industrial Technology\n\nChristina Patala                                   Medical Assisting\n\nKristine Ramirez                                 Medical Assisting\n\nNoelia Ramirez                                   Medical Assisting\n\nAmanda Robles                                  Business Administration\n\nAshley Washington                             Medical Assisting\n\nVanessa Vasquez                                Medical Assisting\n\nSara Brittsan                                       Respiratory Therapy\n\nJamie Cornstock                                  Respiratory Therapy\n\nEdgar Gonzalez                                  Medical Assisting\n\nAlyssa Stephens                                  Medical Assisting\n\nChrista Cunningham                           Respiratory Therapy', '2013 New Year, New Career Scholarships', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '2013-new-year-new-career-scholarships', '', '', '2013-03-19 16:26:03', '2013-03-19 16:26:03', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1132', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1140, 7, '2013-03-26 17:33:48', '2013-03-26 17:33:48', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_1818.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1142" alt="IMG_1818" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_1818-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a><a title="Medical Assisting Program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/" target="_blank">Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting</a> students at the <a title="SJVC Bakersfield" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield/" target="_blank">Bakersfield</a> campus have been working hard these last few months to raise money through bake sales and food sales for <i>The Forgotten Initiative </i>for their local Kern County Foster Children agency. Spearheaded by the CAMA Club, fundraising activities brought in over $1,000. so far for “Journey Bags”, backpacks that are filled with necessities for those infants and children transitioning from an unsafe home to foster care.\n\nEvening CAMA students did such an incredible job of raising the greatest share of money for the bags that “the CAMA Club wanted to give something back to the evening students for their support and donations to this important cause,” says Steven Prince, CAMA instructor and Club Advisor. They decided to surprise them with a ‘Thank-you Dinner’ to show their appreciation.  Almost 150-students and faculty enjoyed hot dogs, chips, sodas and home-made desserts. Evening CAMA student, Pristina Moreno, couldn’t remember day students ever providing dinner for evening students, so it was quite a treat for all.\n\nThe fundraising has been so successful that the CAMA Club has decided to extend fundraising for <i>The Forgotten Initiative’s </i>Journey Bags until the end of April. The backpacks are filled with items such as toothbrush and toothpaste, towel, wash cloth, body wash, socks, blanket, a stuffed animal (for younger kids) and a journal for older kids to express their thoughts, fears and hopes for their future. Each backpack also includes a personal note written by a CAMA student, offering encouragement.\n\nThe CAMA Club is looking forward to presenting a number of filled Journey Bags to the Kern County Foster Children agency at the completion of the campaign.', 'CAMA Club Rewards Evening Students For Support', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'cama-club-rewards-evening-students-for-support', '', '', '2013-03-26 17:33:48', '2013-03-26 17:33:48', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1140', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1157, 7, '2013-03-28 22:46:59', '2013-03-28 22:46:59', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/photo-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1158" alt="photo-1" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/photo-1-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Jaspreet (Jessy) Manak, RRT will be the first to tell you that she was spread very thin those last couple of months before she graduated from <a title="SJVC Rancho Cordova" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cordova/">Rancho Cordova</a>’s Respiratory Therapy program in November. During her 4<sup>th</sup> term Jessy organized a <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy</a> event at the Yuba City Sikh Parade. “At the same time we were taking mid-terms, finals and practice exams for our CRT and RRT certifications, and I was at my breaking point,” says Jessy. “I wouldn’t have made it through the program without my classmates- that turned into an extraordinary group of friends.”\n\nDuring times of stress she pulls her family’s love and wisdom around her and remembers their struggles and encouragement. “I was 7-years old when my Dad (Joginder) died, so my mom, Baljit, raised my younger brother, Shaun, and me by herself for many years,” says Jessy. “She never let us see what a struggle it was for her.” But, Jessy knew that when her mom’s parents came to the U.S. from India, “They had a hard time even putting food on the table,” she says. “And, she just wanted her kids to have a better life than she had.”\n\nThat ‘better life’ is starting to unfold for Jessy, who went to work in January for O’Connor Hospital in San Jose as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. It was her first job application, first interview and first hire in her chosen field. “<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> really prepares you to interview,” says Jessy. “Those interview skills were why I was chosen for this position, and it’s like the 18-months of (RT) training really paid off.”\n\nNow happily settled into her new position at O’Connor, Jessy isn’t letting up on herself. She is working 12-hour shifts every Thrs., Fri., and Sat. night at the hospital, while going to San Jose State Monday through Thursday to complete her B.S. She is feeling the burn of long hours, but she is not backing off.\n\nJessy’s plans include future certification as a Neonatal Pediatric Specialist and an eventual Master’s Degree in Public Health. Her motivation to excel comes to her in the quiet moments. “My Dad is always watching over me and I want him to see that I’m growing up to be the successful woman he wanted me to be,” says Jessy. She knows the road will be difficult, but she remembers her Aunt Jas saying, “Even when you are young and you see your friends going out, you have to make sacrifices.”\n\nJessy hears the truth in those words and adds a few of her own: “I have the rest of my life to have fun. I have to get my future together now!” Meanwhile, Jessy is setting an important example for her siblings, including her 5-year old brother, Ryan, who says, “I want to graduation college just like Jessy.” Jessy feels the reward of creating that kind of inspiration. “My brothers are a big motivation for me and I want them to know they can succeed in whatever they put their minds to,” she says.\n\nJessy does manage to balance her intensity with occasional rewards. “I do find time for a workout,<b> </b>pamper myself, shop and go out with my friends,” says Jessy. “All the things normal 22-year old girls do – just not as often!”', 'Young, Ambitious... and Stressed', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'young-ambitious-and-stressed', '', '', '2013-03-28 22:46:59', '2013-03-28 22:46:59', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1157', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1165, 7, '2013-04-01 09:06:10', '2013-04-01 16:06:10', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rebecca-Price.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1166" alt="Rebecca Price" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rebecca-Price-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Rebecca Price did not make it to college after she graduated from high school in 1990. The birth of her son, Brody, changed the course of her life and college was pushed to the back as she focused on her role as a single mom. “Having a baby was not the right time for me to think about college,” says Rebecca.\n\nHowever, her “baby” was getting married soon and Rebecca was about to be 40, “so now was the time for me to do it,” she says of her computer search for online education opportunities. Rebecca found <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online/">SJVC’s online</a> Clinical and Administrative <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Medical Assisting</a> program and enrolled in April of 2012. Online classes allow her to continue working full-time as a Home Health Care Aid, while she cares for her 9-year old daughter, Alivia, and her disabled father, Joe, who has many serious health care issues.\n\nRebecca was a little nervous about going back to school after such a long absence. Her greatest struggle was with her algebra class, which she took twice. “The second time around it just clicked,” she says. Her Student Advisor, Josh Mishou, was there to support her through her bleakest moments. “I felt like I had a cheerleader at my side the whole way,” says Rebecca, who ended up with a solid B. “I get a lot of positive reinforcement from all my teachers – and seeing those A’s is just phenomenal,” she says.\n\nShe also has a lot of support at home. “Alivia is very mature for her age and takes on a lot of responsibility,” says Rebecca. “If I ask her to do something, she’s on it.” Joe also gives a lot of encouragement to Rebecca and is quick to tell relatives how she is doing. Rebecca’s 3.8 GPA gives him a little something to talk about, and Rebecca feels his pride.\n\nEven with all of Rebecca’s responsibilities at home, work and school, she was determined to finish what she started.  “My sense of accomplishment is a reward in itself,” she says. “If I can’t do well at something, I’d rather just not do it.” All that effort and reward are not lost on Alivia, who just started public school this year after years of home-schooling. “Just like me, she was nervous at first,” says Rebecca. “But she’s doing really well and loving it.” It is important to Rebecca to give her daughter a positive role model and show her the importance of finishing what you start.\n\nRebecca plans to use her CAMA education and training to work in a holistic medical environment. Her interest is spurred by Brody’s autism, which has benefitted significantly from holistic therapies. Rebecca may continue her education to become a Registered Nurse or Physician Assistant. She knows that anything is possible – no matter how late your start in higher education.', 'It''s Never too Late', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'its-never-too-late', '', '', '2013-04-01 09:06:10', '2013-04-01 16:06:10', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1165', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1169, 7, '2013-04-02 10:37:13', '2013-04-02 17:37:13', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GABI.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1171" alt="GABI" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GABI-268x290.png" width="268" height="290" /></a>"As a Christian, my inspiration to take care of others comes from God," says Adina Gabriela Martis, who is about to graduate from the <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy </a>program in <a title="SJVC Rancho Cordova" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cordova/">Rancho Cordova</a>. And, with her family''s loving encouragement and her own personal commitment to "help others feel better", she is well on her way to a life of service in the medical field.\n\nWhen Gabi (as most people call her) first started the RT program she was surprised at the many aspects of Respiratory Therapy and at how many people were affected. This meant she would have patients of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences to work with. "I didn''t realize how many lives I could help," says Gabi. Once she got into specialty treatment therapies, she found a particular area of interest. "I love the cardio-pulmonary area; heart and lungs are such a vital part of our lives," she says.\n\nThroughout her training in this intensive 18-month program, her husband, Emanuel''s voice, along with those of her parents, Ben and Rodica, echoed encouragement. "My husband kept telling me, ''Never give up; you''re smart, you can do it,''" says Gabi. "And, my parents kept saying, ''Get a good education and follow your dream.''" She listened very intently.\n\nOne of the best moments in Gabi''s training came when she was in clinical rotation in an intensive care unit. She was trying to comfort a man who was clearly in distress, but unable to communicate his discomfort because he was intubated (tube inserted down his throat). She remembered her non-verbal communication training of asking yes and no questions to which the patient was asked to blink once for ''yes'' and twice for ''no''. When she realized that he was trying to tell her he was thirsty, she repeatedly dampened his palate with a cool, moist sponge until his parched throat was relieved.\n\nGabi spends a lot of her scant free time volunteering at hospitals and elder care facilities. She currently volunteers in the Cardiac Telemetry Unit at Mercy San Juan Hospital and the Norris Villa retirement facility, where she brings comfort to grateful residents by doing their nails or just talking with them about whatever interests them.\n\nGabi knows that she is in the right profession, but wants to immerse herself even deeper. "Respiratory Therapy will make me happy, but I also want to go back to school and get my Bachelor''s," she says. "There is a large Spanish population here, so I''d also like to become proficient in Spanish," says Gabi, who has already had 4-years of Spanish language classes.\n\nWith graduation coming in just a couple of months Gabi has a word of advice for those struggling to complete their program at <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>: "Just keep at it. Hard work and dedication always pays off. And, just remember that tough situations always make us come out stronger."', 'Strong Faith Moves Student to Help Others in Medical Field', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'strong-faith-moves-student-to-help-others-in-medical-field', '', '', '2013-04-02 10:37:13', '2013-04-02 17:37:13', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1169', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1177, 7, '2013-04-09 08:58:52', '2013-04-09 15:58:52', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Cucamonga-Press-Release.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1178" alt="Cucamonga Press Release" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Cucamonga-Press-Release-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Last month <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">Rancho Cucamonga</a>’s <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy</a> (RT) Program Director, Ricardo Guzman and RT instructor, Russell McCord joined over 100 Respiratory Therapists across the nation to meet with members of Congress in Washington, DC to promote the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Access Act. Passage of the Act into law would amend Medicare Part B to provide funds for Respiratory Therapists to work alongside physicians to provide education to patients about how to better manage their pulmonary disease.\n\n The Respiratory Therapy profession feels that a patient’s better understanding of their disease and treatment would result in tremendous cost savings through fewer hospital admissions and emergency room visits. Education would also impact patient quality of life, as their respiratory disease becomes better managed. “Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT) would teach those with pulmonary disease how to use their medications, such as inhalers, how to exercise underdeveloped muscles that have been deprived of oxygen and how to restore muscle reserve, as well as the importance of proper nutrition to promote strength, energy and wellness,” says Ricardo Guzman.\n\nDuring “Hill Day” proponents of the Act met with legislators and representatives from every state, including 17 from California. The purpose of the meetings was to solicit support for the Act to move successfully into Bill form, which would then be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for scoring, or cost determination. The Bill would then be sent to Congress for a deciding vote of support or rejection before Senate consideration. This process could take several months.   \n\nThe RT coalition brought with them 861 action letters generated by California constituents to supplement the over 20,000 letters already sent to DC in support of the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Access Act. “Every one of SJVC’s 108 RT students sent a letter to our local legislators,” says Guzman. “Their efforts contributed to a very successful effort in Washington, as many of those we met with had already received our letters,” says Guzman.\n\n“At 8:00 AM all we had was the Act, and by 5:00 PM we had a congressional sponsor and co-sponsor with companion bills in both the Senate and the House.”', 'Respiratory Therapists go to DC to get Congressional Support', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'respiratory-therapists-go-to-dc-to-get-congressional-support', '', '', '2013-04-09 08:58:52', '2013-04-09 15:58:52', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1177', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(1182, 7, '2013-04-10 09:39:11', '2013-04-10 16:39:11', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Monica1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1187" alt="Monica" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Monica1-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>With a population of around 12,000, Blackfoot, Idaho doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of employment opportunities.\n\n“The best job I could hope for was WalMart or the bank; we have a lot of banks but they don’t pay much,” says <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/?utm_expid=2292241-8&amp;utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sjvc.edu%2F">SJVC medical assisting</a> student Monica Verlanic. “We have a couple of grocery stores and a police station, but you’re lucky if the police station is hiring.”\n\nThe greatest employment opportunities lie with the Bingham Memorial Hospital Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Idaho Doctor’s Hospital, which employs approximately 500 people.\n\nMonica was able to get her foot in the door at Bingham as a Certified Nursing Assistant (back office) with the stipulation that she complete her <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online/">online</a> Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting program and pass the state test for certification.  “Everyone at the hospital has been very encouraging and supportive for me to go to school,” says Monica, who is also completing her CAMA program Externship there.\n\nBut, no one has been more supportive than her own family. Monica’s husband, Paul, and their four children, ranging in age from 2-11, have pitched in to make it work. “Paul does all the cooking, kids do the chores, and my oldest son helps take care of the baby,” she says.\n\nThe most difficult time was when Paul had to work in North Dakota for 4-months and was on a 2-weeks gone/1-week home cycle. “That was a long stretch,” says Monica, who had to juggle full-time work, online classes, the kids’ sports schedules, homework and running the house without his help.\n\nEven with this hectic schedule Monica managed to make the Dean’s List 11-times. The first time she received the Dean’s List certification in the mail, Paul posted it on Facebook for all their friends and family to see. “It was nice to see how proud of me he was,” says Monica. \n\nAsked about the greatest obstacle she encountered along the way, Monica says, “It was all hard.” She understands why students who are struggling might want to quit or at least take a break; but she cautions against it. “Don’t stop, no matter how hard it gets,” she says. “Once you stop, it’s hard to go back. And don’t be afraid to ask for help.”\n\nHer own struggle to graduate is almost at its end – and Monica isn’t sure how she feels about it or what she will do with the extra time. “I think it’s going to be very strange because I’m used to doing so much,” she says. But, about one thing, she has no doubt: “It was worth it.”', 'Small Town Limits Career Choices', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'small-town-limits-career-choices', '', '', '2013-04-10 09:39:11', '2013-04-10 16:39:11', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1182', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1189, 7, '2013-04-11 09:28:49', '2013-04-11 16:28:49', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rancho-Cucamonga.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1190" alt="Rancho Cucamonga" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rancho-Cucamonga-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) has released this year’s report, ranking for all RT programs in the U.S. The most important outcome is the 3-year average Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential success, as it represents the Standard of Excellence in this profession. Below are the 2012/2013 rankings, respectively:\n\n<b>California state </b>(36 programs): <b># 6 / # 3\n</b><b>So. California</b>(21 programs): <b># 3 /# 1</b><b>\n</b><b>Inland Empire </b>(10 programs):<b> # 1 /# 1</b>\n\n“Our goal is to be #1 in the State,” says Ricardo Guzman, RT Program Director at the <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga/">Rancho Cucamonga </a>campus. Mr. Guzman goes on to explain that the two programs currently ahead of SJVC in the SoCal area are traditional 3-year programs and graduated 23 and 11-students, respectively, in the last reporting year.\n\n“In the same time period we graduated 81 (RT students), so as far as we are concerned, we’re already #1,” he says.<b> </b>(For all of the results go to: <a href="http://www.coarc.com/47.html">http://www.coarc.com/47.html</a>)\n\nRecent RT graduate, Dinnell Medina, RRT-NPS, RCP, says, “It''s no wonder why SJVC Rancho Cucamonga <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/">Respiratory Therapy Program</a> is ranked #1 in Southern California and #3 in the state. SJVC Rancho Cucamonga provides students with all the tools to build a new future and begin a fulfilling career. I never imagined that going to school for Respiratory Therapy would be such a rewarding experience.\n\n"This program has given me opportunities beyond any of my expectations. Every instructor is a source of knowledge eager to share his/her experience as a respiratory therapist. The classroom instructors are dedicated, experienced, individuals who are committed to their students. The clinical instructors relate the classroom learning materials/theories to how things are implemented in the hospital atmosphere. The instructors drive their students to be the best respiratory therapy students and future practitioners out there. They gave me the foundation to be a confident respiratory practitioner.\n\n"I would suggest to anyone who is considering Respiratory Therapy as a field of practice to attend SJVC Rancho Cucamonga. I am extremely proud to be part of this community and couldn''t thank the Respiratory Therapy Instructors enough for this rewarding experience."\n\n“I cannot emphasize enough how none of this would be possible without the dedication, talent and hard work of our instructors, both in the classroom and in clinic,” says Guzman.\n\n“Thank you, especially, Tom, Lea, Russ, Hank, Grey, Jo-Russell, Joe, Cris, Tin, Christy, Maryanne, Tony and Gerardo for making our success possible. Thank you, also, to Sherril, Richard, the management team and Senior Management for your constant support for all we do,” he adds.', 'Respiratory Therapy program in Rancho Cucamonga #1 in SoCal', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'respiratory-therapy-program-in-rancho-cucamonga-1-in-socal', '', '', '2013-04-11 09:28:49', '2013-04-11 16:28:49', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1189', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1199, 7, '2013-04-12 10:35:32', '2013-04-12 17:35:32', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Lancaster-Easter-ZEgg-Hunt.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1200" alt="Lancaster Easter ZEgg Hunt" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Lancaster-Easter-ZEgg-Hunt-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Friday, March 29<sup>th</sup>, <a title="SJVC Antelope Valley" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/antelope-valley/">Lancaster</a> campus held their first annual Easter Egg Hunt. Students and their families were invited to celebrate this holiday with <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>, joining in games and crafts. Families enjoyed good company and conversation over homemade breakfast served by the staff. Ms. Elizabeth O’Connell, Lancaster Student Center Coordinator, had an assortment of crafts for the little ones. Activities ranging from beading bracelets and making egg carton duckies to face painting.\n\nThe Easter Bunny even made a special appearance, taking pictures with children. Although there was a hint of fear in some of the youngest of the bunch, the kids were happy to pose with the bunny for cute pictures for their parents; even if it did take a little coaxing for some.\n\nThe main event, the egg hunt, was a time for children to be set free to explore and get as many eggs in their basket as they could. There was even a promise of prize for children who got one of the three special starred eggs. With children searching for the eggs, students enjoyed seeing the kids happy and ready for the task. The parking lot arena for the egg toss proved to be a chance for students and family to show off their throwing and partnership skills. Not only wanting to win just for the bragging rights, but also wanting a chance to win the $15 dollar gift cards, valuable for school supplies.\n\nWith their duckies and Easter prizes in tow, students and family concluded with a group photo to remember the day. After all the pictures, the group was set off to be with family for this special holiday weekend.', 'Lancaster Easter Egg Hunt', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'lancaster-easter-egg-hunt', '', '', '2013-04-12 10:35:32', '2013-04-12 17:35:32', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1199', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1203, 7, '2013-04-12 18:35:29', '2013-04-13 01:35:29', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/SJVC-Facebook-Tshirts.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1204" alt="SJVC Facebook Tshirts" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/SJVC-Facebook-Tshirts-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a><a title="SJVC" href="http://sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s new motivational t-shirts have proven popular among students and sales are going great. The t-shirts, with messages of commitment, inspiration, humor and insight are showing up on dress-down days, and $1.00 per shirt proceeds are helping a different campus with a project or cause each month.\n\nContributions from sales this month will help the <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> campus get to their $6,000 goal they want to contribute to the Central Valley March of Dimes. Dental Assisting instructor and campus March of Dimes Committee Chair, Lori Jeffcoach, is excited to have another fundraising effort underway. “We do bake sales, dress-down days, walk-a-thons and other food sales all year long to try to meet our goal,” says Jeffcoach.\n\nThe Visalia campus has been a long-term supporter of the Central Valley March of Dimes. “I think they do a great job saving lives out there and preventing premature births,” says Lori.\n\nVisalia students have been great about supporting efforts to help the March of Dimes. “Our food sales are really successful,” says Lori. “Our campus is a little isolated, so we don’t have a lot of lunch or food sources close by,” she says. “And, it’s very touching to see the amount of good we have in our students, who often tell us to keep the change or make a $5.00 donation when they buy our food,” says Lori.\n\nThis year’s fundraising is off to a good start with $3,400 already collected since January. “We would love to surpass our goal of $6,000 this year,” says Lori. “We’re off to a good start.”\n\nThe next big event to raise funds for the Central Valley March of Dimes is a Visalia campus walk-a-thon scheduled for April 27<sup>th</sup>. “We already have 58-students signed up to walk, and 3-students have already given us over $300 in pledges,” says Jeffcoach.\n\nEveryone can help the Visalia campus to reach their fundraising goal by buying a t-shirt before the end of April. Browse the selections at <a href="https://wwwfacebook.com/sjvcs/app%20515661228485859">https://wwwfacebook.com/sjvcs/app 515661228485859</a>.  T-shirts can be purchased for $6.00, using Paypal or a credit card on SJVC’s Facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sjvcs">www.facebook.com/sjvcs</a>.  There is no charge for shipping if you pick up your purchase at your campus Student Center; otherwise it is $4.00 to send it elsewhere. SJVC is selling the T-shirts to you at cost – plus a dollar donation to a fellow campus.\n\nLast month the Online campus received $158 from t-shirt sales, which they contributed to their campus Student Support Fund. Next month (May), Hesperia will be the campus to benefit from t-shirt sales.', 'Visalia Campus Benefits From April T-shirt Sales', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'visalia-campus-benefits-from-april-t-shirt-sales', '', '', '2013-04-12 18:35:29', '2013-04-13 01:35:29', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1203', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1214, 7, '2013-04-16 11:09:13', '2013-04-16 18:09:13', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Enrique-Loza.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1215" alt="Enrique Loza" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Enrique-Loza.jpg" width="256" height="256" /></a>Enrique Loza has crammed a lot of life into his 22-years. He worked part-time for a convenience store throughout high school, while he juggled studies and thought about college. “Everyone in my family – brother, sisters and my mom – has gone to college,” says Enrique.\n\nBut plans took a detour when just out of high school Enrique and his now wife, Saliena, found out their son, Aadyn was on the way. Enrique went to work for a local Hanford dairy, doing ‘outside labor’ for 60-hours a week. He buckled down.\n\nThe hard-earned income allowed his family to buy a house. “When my real estate agent heard I was only 20-years old, he said, ‘Whoa, you’re young,’” he laughed. “But I knew that houses were really at a low price, and with my work experience I qualified for credit. Now my house is worth $30,000 more than when I bought it,” says Enrique. The house was a good move – especially since their daughter, Aalyna, joined the family a few months ago.\n\nBut, college was never too far from his mind, and Enrique and Saliena had a deal. When she finished her Medical Assisting training, it would be his turn to go back to school. That was finally possible in October, 2012, when Enrique enrolled in the <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/">Visalia</a> campus’s <a title="Industrial Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/industrial-technology/">Industrial Technology</a> program. Enrique’s older brother, Heriberto, had graduated from the IT program a few months earlier and encouraged him to do the same.\n\nEnrique knew his brother was right when he got to Mr. Clyde’s class. “He makes sure that we get everything in our heads, that we actually learn something,” says Enrique, who especially likes the hands-on action in class. “He’s not just there for a paycheck,” he says. “He even gives us little McDonald’s gift certificates out of his own pocket, which makes us try even harder.” But, Enrique doesn’t need much motivation to work hard; it has been his natural characteristic all his young life.\n\nEnrique is still working those 60-hour weeks; his only day off is Saturdays. He very much misses time with his family. “My boy is three; growing up so fast,” he says. “Ever since high school, I’ve been working so much to have more time with my family.” He has felt both desperation and inspiration along the way.\n\nIt is all about to change. “I have the work experience and now I’ll have the education to back me up and give me that extra punch on my resume,” says Enrique. He is ready for the new life ahead.\n\nLike the mature-before-his-years guy he is, Enrique sums it up best. “I want to do better in life. I don’t want to just be alive…I want to live.” He has earned it.', 'A Few Years, a Lot of Life', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-few-years-a-lot-of-life', '', '', '2013-04-16 11:09:13', '2013-04-16 18:09:13', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1214', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1224, 7, '2013-04-23 15:26:09', '2013-04-23 22:26:09', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Monique-Silva.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1225" alt="Monique Silva" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Monique-Silva-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Mock interviews are an important part of the preparation <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s Career Services provides students for their eventual job search. These staged interviews between ‘employers’ and ‘applicants’ can be a little unnerving for students, who are trying to put their most professional self forward for serious employment consideration.\n\nBut <a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/">Business Administration</a> program student Monique Silva must have left her nervousness and uncertainty at the door. After viewing Monique’s performance during her mock interview, the Career Services Director, Joel Morgan, later suggested to the Employment Services Department that they contact Monique about a First Contact/Receptionist position at the college. Monique interviewed on a Tuesday, was offered the position on Friday and started work the following Monday. In less than a week, she went from recent graduate to employee.\n\n“It’s amazing to go from being a student with teachers, to being co-workers and friends,” says Monique. In her new position she gets to welcome visitors and potential students who come to the campus looking for educational opportunity and career success. “I get to share my own experience and tell them that I was once in their shoes,” she says.\n\nHer experience includes a very difficult time the week before finals when her grandfather suddenly passed away. At the same time her daughter Juliett, who had just turned three, was admitted to the hospital with appendicitis. It was a very emotional time and a very demanding time in her program. “My teachers were very supportive and let me do all my work at home,” says Monique.\n\nMonique is enjoying a career that almost didn’t happen. She had tried community college without much success and had worked at a popular market for awhile, and just wasn’t feeling the energy it would take to make a serious commitment to school. By then she and her husband, Daniel, had had their daughters, Alexandria and Juliett, so life was pretty busy. “But, my husband pushed me, ever since we were dating, to go back to school,” says Monique.  His insistence finally paid off.\n\nMonique felt some of the rewards of her efforts along the way. “I loved that my husband and daughters picked me up every day after class and they would ask, ‘Mama did you get an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ today, says Monique.’” Monique enjoys the role model she became for her girls and the source of inspiration for them to work for their own education and successes.\n\nAnd, Monique may not be finished. “I’m not done with school,” says Monique, who plans to one day get her Bachelor’s degree. Her and Daniel’s <i>Big Dream</i> is to one day open their own restaurant and catering business. “It’s something I’ve always been passionate about,” she says. “My husband is an amazing chef, and it’s just a dream we have.” Theirs is one of many dreams that have begun to take shape at SJVC.', 'Hesperia Student Lands Job Before Graduation...at SJVC!', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hesperia-student-lands-job-before-graduatioin-at-sjvc', '', '', '2013-04-23 15:26:09', '2013-04-23 22:26:09', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1224', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1233, 7, '2013-04-30 11:21:35', '2013-04-30 18:21:35', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Industrial-Technology.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1234" alt="Industrial Technology" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Industrial-Technology-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Until now there has not been a major career training resource in the Lancaster-Palmdale region to provide manufacturing and aerospace companies with well-trained technical support.\n\nBeginning in July, <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">San Joaquin Valley College </a>(SJVC) will offer an accelerated <a title="Industrial Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/industrial-technology/">Industrial Technology</a> (IT) program that will put highly-skilled technicians into pivotal roles in local plant operations. Industrial facilities and commercial plants depend on knowledgeable and sure-handed Industrial Technicians to ensure that operations run smoothly, efficiently and with minimal slow-down or shut-down. Inefficient systems and sub-standard machinery mean financial losses that negatively impact production – and jobs.\n\nSJVC’s IT program will combine classroom study with hands-on training in the functioning and maintenance of industrial equipment and operating systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), industrial electricity, power transmission and hydraulics. Graduates earn a Certificate or an Associate of Science degree.\n\n“Good candidates for the IT program should be good with their hands, have a high level of dexterity, some experience with wiring, high-powered machinery and some knowledge of math to pull from,” says Joel Morgan, SJVC’s Lancaster Campus Director.\n\nThe Industrial Technology program is very successful on other of the college’s 13-campuses throughout Central and Southern California.\n\nSan Joaquin Valley College worked with the local Chamber of Commerce, industrial employers and other local representatives to make certain that IT program graduates would fill an important need in the community. The new Industrial Technology program seems a perfect fit for the Antelope Valley region.\n\n“With the expansion of the Palmdale Highway and the high-speed rail breaking ground, these corridors will better connect Victorville to Lancaster/Palmdale and Los Angeles, and all the distribution centers along the way,” says Morgan. “Greater product movement and storage means more maintenance technicians will be needed to keep things running smoothly.”\n\nSJVC’s IT curriculum was designed to meet current employer needs and ensure graduate employability. Today’s industrial businesses are looking for well-trained technicians who can operate and maintain the specialized equipment that keeps their systems operational.  Graduates can expect to go to work as a Maintenance Mechanic, Industrial Mechanic, Maintenance Manager or Electrician or a move up to Maintenance Engineer.\n\nSan Joaquin Valley College has offered career training programs throughout California since 1977. Its Lancaster campus opened in October, 2012 and offers a variety of Medical, Business and Technical programs. (Please see sjvc.edu.) For more information about SJVC’s Industrial Technology and other program, or for a tour of the campus, please call (661) 974-8282', 'Local Jr. College Introduces Industrial Technology Career Training Program', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'local-jr-college-introduces-industrial-technology-career-training-program', '', '', '2013-04-30 11:21:35', '2013-04-30 18:21:35', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1233', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1238, 7, '2013-05-01 09:16:42', '2013-05-01 16:16:42', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Jorge.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1239" alt="Jorge" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Jorge.jpg" width="124" height="166" /></a>“I want to buy a house, have a nice car and to be stable when I’m older, not live paycheck-to-paycheck,” says Jorge Jimenez, <a title="Business Administration" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/business-administration/">Business Administration</a> student at the <a title="SJVC Fresno" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno/">Fresno</a> campus. “I don’t want to worry about am I going to eat tomorrow or be able to pay the rent.”\n\nAt 21-years old he has figured out a lot. And, he has a plan.\n\nJorge started working for FedEx 20-22 hours/week just out of high school. He works hard as a package handler and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. “They said they have their eye on me,” says Jorge, “and when I get my degree, I can go anywhere in the company.”\n\nJorge tried the community college route but, “I couldn’t get all the classes I wanted and it felt like a waste of time,” he says. He decided to double-down with a college experience that would better meet his academic, in-class support and time needs. His BA class’s first-day nerves pushed his commitment deeper. “Ok, I’m here now; there’s no turning back. Even if it’s a struggle, I have to keep going because this will open a door for me in the real world.”\n\nThere is no doubt there is a struggle. Jorge works at FedEx 4:00-10:00 AM, Tues.-Sat. and attends classes 5:30-10:30 PM, Mon.-Thrs.  That means he sleeps in 4-hour split shifts, just after he gets off work and again when he gets out of class. His Sundays and half-days on Monday are spent catching up on homework to maintain his 3.25 GPA, and squeezing a little personal time into his life. “At first I had a headache every day,” says Jorge, “but my boss, Luis, at FedEx told me I’d get used to it. And, I did.”\n\nHis parents, Jorge and Rosie are helping him get through this difficult time. It would be much harder if he wasn’t living at home. His younger brother, Alex, “is pretty proud of me,” says Jorge. “Alex wrestles, so he’s already looking for a scholarship to go to college too.”\n\nJorge’s back-burner dream is to open a pastry shop with his cousin, Jasmine. “She tells me, ‘You run it and I’ll just bake,’” he says. His own business would mean a lot to him. “It’s freedom; you set your own rules,” he says.\n\nJorge’s advice to SJVC students who are also struggling to make it to the successful end of their program: “Don’t quit now. Where are you going to go? What are you going to do? It will be worth it in the end.”\n\nJorge’s is the voice of someone who talks it like he lives it.', 'Eye on the Prize', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'eye-on-the-prize', '', '', '2013-05-01 09:16:42', '2013-05-01 16:16:42', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1238', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1246, 7, '2013-05-01 15:14:44', '2013-05-01 22:14:44', '<img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1204" alt="SJVC Facebook Tshirts" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/SJVC-Facebook-Tshirts-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /><a title="SJVC Victor Valley" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/victor-valley/">Hesperia</a> students, this is the month for you to buy some of our new motivational T-shirts, because THIS is the month your campus will get $1.00 for every one sold!\n\nAnd, the proceeds are going to a very good cause on your campus. Your Student Support Fund provides students with a little help with everything from a few groceries and diapers to bus passes and gas card. Everyone needs a little help now and then, and students on the Hesperia campus know their Student Support Fund is there to do just that.\n\nEach month a different campus benefits from the sale of our new motivational T-shirts because, with each sale, $1.00 is tagged for however that campus wants to use it. Last month the Visalia campus donated their earnings to the Central Valley March of Dimes.\n\nThese SJVC tees have proven popular among students and sales are going great. The t-shirts, with messages of commitment, inspiration, humor and insight are showing up on dress-down days and off-campus events.\n\nJust remember, when you buy and wear one of <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s new, motivational T-shirts, you are showing school pride and helping other students through a rough patch, at the same time. Looking good…feeling good.  Helping, celebrating each other in our global SJVC family.\n\nEveryone can help the Hesperia campus to raise money for their Student Support Fund. Browse the selections at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SJVCs/app_515661228485859">https://www.facebook.com/SJVCs/app_515661228485859</a>.  T-shirts can be purchased for $6.00, using Paypal or a credit card on SJVC’s Facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sjvcs">www.facebook.com/sjvcs</a>.  There is no charge for shipping if you pick up your purchase at your campus Student Center; otherwise it is $4.00 to send it elsewhere. SJVC is selling the T-shirts to you at cost – plus a dollar donation to a fellow campus.\n\nNext month (June), Modesto will be the campus to benefit from t-shirt sales. Bakersfield Campus will benefit in July.', 'May T-shirt Sales to Boost Hesperia Campus'' Student Support Fund', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'may-t-shirt-sales-to-boost-hesperia-campus-student-support-fund', '', '', '2013-05-01 15:14:44', '2013-05-01 22:14:44', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1246', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1250, 7, '2013-05-02 11:05:31', '2013-05-02 18:05:31', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aviation-Volunteers.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1251" alt="Aviation Volunteers" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aviation-Volunteers-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>A dozen <a title="Aviation Maintenance Technology" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-maintenance-technology/">Aviation</a> students brought a little piece of childhood fantasy back to life when they restored a popular children’s vignette at Rotary Storyland and Playland in Fresno last Saturday. “They did a great job painting and restoring a wishing well, stepping stone and a bridge, planting flowers and clearing weeds from the surrounding area,” says Linda Restovich, General Manger for the famous Fresno park and family entertainment venue.\n\nAviation Student Council president, David Miranda put the project together and many fellow students gave up a few hours that Saturday for this community volunteer effort. “The park was in need of assistance and we at the Aviation campus were more than happy to lend our muscles and skills to benefit this long-loved park,” says Miranda. “We have a great group of guys within our student body and we are all here to make a difference within our own lives, but also within the lives of our communities,” he says.\n\n“I have nothing but great things to say about our ASB and its leadership,” says Jack Macfarlane, Aviation Campus Director. “The Student Council officers, with David Miranda at the helm, are a continual source of inspiration to us all and are compassionate ambassadors of the Aviation Maintenance campus and SJVC.”\n\nThe students were originally assigned the task of dismantling the big Tilt-a-Whirl ride, but found out that had to be postponed for a couple of weeks. Instead they threw themselves into creating a colorful and pristine area for kids and families to throw pennies into the wishing well and bounce along the freshly cleared and painted walkways.\n\nThe whole <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> team enjoyed spending the day together, working and having some fun along the way. “They’re really excited to go back and take apart that Tilt-a-Whirl, though,” says David. And, Linda Restovich can’t wait to have them back to do that very thing.\n\nIt was one of those community projects that hits close to home. “A lot of us have kids, so we all like for them to have a clean and fun place to go,” says David.', 'Aviation Campus Students Give Storyland a Makeover', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'aviation-campus-students-give-storyland-a-makeover', '', '', '2013-05-02 11:05:31', '2013-05-02 18:05:31', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1250', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1264, 7, '2013-05-03 10:01:25', '2013-05-03 17:01:25', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Temecula-Heart-Walk.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1265" alt="Temecula Heart Walk" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Temecula-Heart-Walk-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>This year’s <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula">Temecula</a> Valley Heart Walk drew a large crowd of 1,200 participants and lots of support from SJVC students, staff and faculty. The 5k walk is an annual event held this year at Lake Skinner to bring awareness about heart disease to the public and raise funds for research and medical services.\n\n<a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant?utm_expid=2292241-8&amp;utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sjvc.edu%2Fmedical-assistant">CAMA</a> and <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy">Respiratory Therapy</a> students, <b><i>Rosa Virella, Kevin Suyoto, Sarah Bowers, Sabrina Hernandez-Robles, Bonnie Rodriguez, Lisa Maria, Sonmany Sulit </i></b>and <b><i>Ana Rosa Tejeda</i></b>, along with CAMA instructor <b><i>Miss Sutter </i></b>and Coordinator of Student Activities, <b><i>John Hall </i></b>volunteered from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM at SJVC’s booth, providing health screenings to registered walkers and the those there to cheer them on. “The students did excellent and put their best foot forward in helping participants get their screenings,” says John Hall. “Some participants had their blood pressure taken both before and after walking to measure the difference,” says Hall.\n\nThe event was a huge success, raising $77,834. This is the 2<sup>nd</sup> year SJVC students have participated in the Temecula Valley Heart Walk. “This was a great opportunity for our students to practice their skills and network with other professionals in their industry,” says Hall.', 'Students Volunteer Services at Heart Walk', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'students-volunteer-services-at-heart-walk', '', '', '2013-05-03 10:01:25', '2013-05-03 17:01:25', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1264', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1270, 7, '2013-05-07 13:19:51', '2013-05-07 20:19:51', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bill-Lennon.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1271" alt="Bill Lennon" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bill-Lennon-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>When Bill Lennon dropped out of high school his junior year to take over his Dad’s dry wall business after his Dad fell and broke his neck, Bill made two important promises to himself: He would one day go back and finish high school and eventually go on to get a college degree. On his 30<sup>th</sup> birthday he celebrated the acquisition of his high school diploma and last month, at 56 years old, he earned an A.S. degree in <a title="Construction Management" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/construction-management">Construction Management</a>, ready to frame.\n\n“My family said, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this at your age,’” he laughs. But they know him well enough to know that Bill will do what he says he will do. “Pick you end result and stay with it,” says Bill. His wife, Jackie, his 6 grown kids and 14 grandchildren had no real doubts about his commitment, abilities or eventual success.\n\nBill has had a solid construction business for 17-years, but knew he needed to get up-to-date on new industry software, materials and techniques. “You have to know these things and can’t always rely on other people to do it for you,” he says. “I have to be self-reliant in almost everything I do.” Plus, he was tired of ‘chasing the dollars’ and wanted to feel a little more secure in his profession and ‘kind of just 9 to 5 it’ for awhile.\n\nIt took Bill a little while to get into step with his <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://sjvc.edu/online">Online</a> coursework. He tried studying at night after work, but he had little energy left over after a hard day’s effort. He started getting up at 4:30 in the morning and studying until his work day started at 7:30. He got into the habit of taking his laptop with him wherever he went and grabbing some study time whenever there was a break. “Every 15 minutes I found during the day was 15 less minutes I had to do later,” says Bill.  On the Dean’s List eleven times and with a 3.74 GPA, his system must have worked very well. He got into a rhythm and stayed with it.\n\nThere was a side benefit to Bill’s commitment to his studies. He had to give up some of the control of his business to a couple of employees who rose to the occasion and proved worthy of the additional responsibilities. “Danny just latched onto whatever I gave him, showed some tenacity and took up some of the slack so I could study,” says Bill. That included his 2<sup>nd</sup> oldest son, Billy, “who impressed me with newly discovered capabilities and earned some independence,” he says.\n\nBill got lots of support from his Online instructors, too. “These guys had more than just ‘the stuff’ and had the ability to relate without talking down to you,” he says. Bill knew that when he completed the Construction Management program he would walk away with something of value to himself and his customers.\n\n“A lot of guys have a sign on their truck, but that doesn’t mean they can do what it says they can do.” Bill has made certain that any sign he displays, any work he has committed to, and any word he has given means something.', 'A Life-long Learner Keeps His Promise', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-life-long-learner-keeps-his-promise', '', '', '2013-05-07 13:19:51', '2013-05-07 20:19:51', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1270', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1273, 7, '2013-05-08 13:53:33', '2013-05-08 20:53:33', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC02449.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1274" alt="DSC02449" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC02449-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Everywhere you look you see blue. The <a title="SJVC Victor Valley" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/victor-valley">Hesperia</a> campus lobby and other common areas were illuminated with blue, many students were dressed in blue and message boards contained blue bulletins about “Light it Up Blue”, “Shining a light on Autism” to raise awareness for this world-wide event. The Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera house in Australia and the Leaning Tower of Pisa join hundreds of famous buildings and landmarks across many countries to share bright blue support for the national organization, Autism Speaks.\n\n<a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a> Diversity Committee members, Lauren Brown (Financial Aid Officer) and Misty Christensen (Dean of Students) felt it important to help educate students about this neurological disorder that affects so many children and impacts families everywhere. “We wanted to educate our students about autism because it is a disorder that makes those with it feel different from others and, especially since so many of our students are in medical programs, they should know more about this,” says Lauren Brown.\n\nLauren’s13-year old son, Brendon, has autism on the moderate-severe spectrum and has sensory processing disorder that causes him to shy away from social interaction with others. “I felt it was important for students and staff to understand that autism is not a noticeable disability and often takes a psychologist, specialist and pediatrician, along with a battery of assessments, to diagnose autism,” says Lauren, whose son was not diagnosed until he was 6-years old.\n\n“Everyone knows someone who is either directly or indirectly affected by this,” says Lauren.  “When we were getting ready to do this event we found staff and students who had a child affected by autism,” she says. Most had few resources for their child and struggled to find support for families and appropriate therapy and education options.\n\nAutism spectrum disorder includes Asperger’s syndrome and presents a broad scale of behavior and sensitivity severity. Misty Christensen’s 5-year old son, McAllister, has Asperger’s syndrome, “called the Little Professor’s disease,” she offers. “McAllister is high-functioning and very intelligent,” says Misty, “but has some social deficiencies.” McAllister exhibits a sensory processing disorder that makes the touch of some clothing, such as jeans, on his skin unbearable. “It’s hard for them (with Asperger’s) to know where their bodies are in space,” says Misty, whose son sometimes feels like things are crawling all over his body. It helps for McAllister to wear weighted vests to better orient his physical body.\n\nChildren with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome may:\n<ul>\n	<li>Be overly sensitive in sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste (for example, they may refuse to wear "itchy" clothes and become distressed if they are forced to wear the clothes)</li>\n	<li>Have unusual distress when routines are changed</li>\n	<li>Perform repeated body movements</li>\n	<li>Show unusual attachments to objects</li>\n</ul>\nCommunication and social interaction problems may vary from moderate to severe.\n\nThe Hesperia campus provided students with a PowerPoint presentation to educate them about autism and the importance of awareness. Throughout April the campus held fundraisers, dress-down days, and raffles and sold blue cotton candy to raise money for Autism Speaks.\n\nOne percent of the U.S. population, age 3-17, has an autism spectrum disorder. Other important statistics:\n<ul>\n	<li>Autism affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys (Boys are 5 times more likely than girls to have autism)</li>\n	<li>Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S.</li>\n	<li>Autism cost a family an average of $60,000 a year to manage treatment</li>\n	<li>Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding given less prevalent childhood diseases</li>\n	<li>There is no medical detection or cure for autism</li>\n</ul>\nMisty Christensen’s son’s occupational therapist said, “Autism is a spectrum, and everybody is on it somewhere.”\n\n“This event left a huge impression on our staff, faculty and students,” says Lauren Brown. And, those who came forward with their personal stories of struggle with this disorder within their own families were glad to see their campus become a part of autism awareness.\n\nThere is so little support and few resources within local communities for families of children with autism or Asperger’s.  Misty, who says at 18-months old, McAllister lay down for a nap and woke up with severe behavior changes “as though a light switch was flipped,” has struggled to find help. “It was really, really hard,” she says. “We are so underserviced in our area.”\n\nThe Hesperia campus can be part of bringing autism awareness, not only to students, staff and faculty, but to their community.  “Our people here who have children with autism and Asperger’s can be the change that brings the resources to their children and this area,” says Lauren Smith.\n\nFor more information about autism spectrum disorder visit autismspeaks.org.', 'Hesperia Lets it Shine for Autism', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'hesperia-lets-it-shine-for-autism', '', '', '2013-05-08 13:53:33', '2013-05-08 20:53:33', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1273', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1277, 7, '2013-05-09 16:02:00', '2013-05-09 23:02:00', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Arvin-High-School.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1278" alt="Arvin High School" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Arvin-High-School-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Arvin High School students spent months studying the Constitution to beat out other California high schools for a chance to go up against other state winners in the “We the People” competition in Washington DC April 26-29. After several hard-won state matches where their knowledge of the constitution was mined, they qualified as one of two CA teams to earn a spot. The Arvin team had placed second but won the single ‘wild card’ selection made each year.\n\nThe problem: $90,000 for travel expenses for the team of 26 seniors. Fundraising was going to be difficult for a town of barely 20,000 residents – 92% of whom are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. But a proud Arvin High School student population of 2,500 was on a mission to raise the necessary funds to get to DC.\n\nShort of their goal and with just a couple of weeks left to raise the money, Melissa Cahill, <a title="SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu">SJVC</a>’s previous Division Manager and now part-time instructor whipped into action. Melissa had completed her student teaching at Arvin High School, which is about 15-miles southeast of Bakersfield. Campus fundraising hit high gear. “These kids gave up the last six months of Spring Break, enjoying friends, the movies, video games and everything else to prepare for this,” says Cahill. “I am proud we were there to help.”\n\nCampus dress-down days and cupcake sales brought in about $300. The Campus Connect Crew and High School Advisor, Marcus Barnette, were instrumental in organizing the bake sale and keeping momentum going to raise as much money as possible. As the deadline drew near Ms. Cahill threw out a plea to Facebook friends, where SJVC students answered the call with another $100. “Our SJVC students and I were the very first ones to give,” says Cahill. “We are teaching our students to make a difference.” Melissa made out a personal check to bring the total to $500 – and Arvin seniors made their goal! A check for $500 was presented to Arvin principal Carlos Sardo.\n\nBefore the competition took place students from every state got a never-to-be-forgotten tour of Capitol Hill, The White House, Arlington National Cemetery and Mt. Vernon. They got to meet elected officials and other dignitaries and learn about government beyond classroom walls. Most of these students had never been out of Arvin and went home with a much wider view of – not only government – but our place in the world.\n\nArvin High School students went into competition at George Mason University with a determination to show the country what they could achieve. “When we first came in we had trouble speaking and a lot of other teams just expected, ‘Oh, it’s Arvin; it just full of poor disadvantaged students; they can’t do anything,’” says Arvin student Malcolm Rivera. They held their own and although they didn’t place at the top they came home with the title, “Best Team in the Western United States”. Their coach, Robert Ruckman, was very proud of their performance and accomplishments. “To see all their hard work pay off and get this reward is extremely gratifying,” he says.\n\nAnother door opened to these young Arvin seniors – and all the Arvin students to follow them. Principal Sardo wants to work with SJVC to introduce more Arvin High School students to the college and the opportunities that are available to them. “Mr. Sardo wants to bus his students in to observe our hands-on learning and, also, asked that we come to his campus, meet with his counselors and show his students that they have options,” says Ms. Cahill.\n\n“SJVC wants all students to know that they can achieve their goal and graduate college,” says Melissa Cahill.\n\nArvin is a small town with a big heart and high school students with a big dream to match.', 'Bakersfield Campus Helps Arvin High School Make it to DC for Competition', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'bakersfield-campus-helps-arvin-high-school-make-it-to-dc-for-competition', '', '', '2013-05-09 16:02:00', '2013-05-09 23:02:00', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1277', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(1281, 7, '2013-05-14 09:25:15', '2013-05-14 16:25:15', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Shena_Reid-fixed.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1291" alt="Shena_Reid fixed" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Shena_Reid-fixed-227x290.jpg" width="227" height="290" /></a>Shena Reid wasn’t sure she would do very well in college-level classes, when she considered enrolling in the Online <a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant?utm_expid=2292241-8&amp;utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sjvc.edu%2F">Clinical Medical Assisting</a> certificate program. It had been a dozen years since she graduated from high school and thought it would only get harder, as so much time had passed since she was a student. “I took a chance with this Online class,” says Shena.\n\nWhat she found out is that, as a private Jr. college, SJVC is deeply invested in providing all the support a student needs to be successful. “My biggest surprise was how teachers were always helping students,” says Shena. “They called and e-mailed all the time, making sure you were on track. They even gave you their phone number to call any time or schedule tutoring time. That was huge to me,” she says.\n\n<a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online">SJVC’s Online</a> support system worked for Shena, who maintained a 4.0 GPA. “I actually didn’t make these kinds of grades in high school, so this was a big deal for me,” she says. The high point for her was seeing her test scores come back. “I put in the work for them and had the information to make those grades,” she says. “But, I give God all the thanks.”\n\nShena also had a lot of support at home. Her husband, Ali, encouraged her all the way. More than that, he knew her study schedule and made sure he had their three children, ages 3, 4 and 11, well taken care of. “He was very, very supportive; he made sure I didn’t slack on my school work, and took care of the kids every day for me to study,” says Shena.\n\nShena has always been drawn to the medical field and wants to work in either a Cardiology or OBGYN environment. Several people in her family have had serious medical problems that helped her to decide on a career in that field. “Something was pulling me in this direction and it’s like I was destined to do this,” she says. Shena spent a lot of time watching those professionals who worked in hospitals and took care of sick people and thought, “Why not do it myself.”\n\nShe is well on her way. “I will take my time, but I will eventually get in to the RN field,” says Shena, who wants to work for awhile in a career into which she just recently earned entry.\n\nSomeone else may share her career inspiration. Shena’s 11-year old son, Cam’ron, has been watching his mom pretty closely and looking through her medical books with interest.  It would make her success all the sweeter to see her son share her chosen path.', 'You''re Not in High School Anymore', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'youre-not-in-high-school-anymore', '', '', '2013-05-14 09:25:15', '2013-05-14 16:25:15', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1281', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1299, 7, '2013-05-22 11:02:50', '2013-05-22 18:02:50', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Wanda-Robinson.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1300" alt="Wanda Robinson" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Wanda-Robinson.jpg" width="184" height="138" /></a>Ever wanted to so something, but just couldn’t find the motivation?  Couldn’t get yourself out of your comfortable routine?\n\nWanda Robinson had worked for some time in the physician’s office of a large hospital in GA, but wanted to qualify for a management position and the salary increase that came with promotion. Her friend and co-worker Janice encouraged her to check out <a title="SJVC Online" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online">SJVC’s Online </a>programs to help Wanda get the education she needed to succeed. Janice had completed the online CMA program, and knew the education would give Wanda the opportunity to reach her goals.\n\nJanice’s nudging led Wanda to check out the <a title="Medical Office" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical_office?utm_expid=2292241-10&amp;utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sjvc.edu%2Fsjvc-online">Medical Office Administration </a>program; she was so impressed by it that she reorganized her schedule around her full-time job in order to be able to take classes!\n\n“Let me stop procrastinating and just get it done,” she said to herself.\n\nWanda had already earned her Medical Office Clerk and Billing Specialist certificate at Savannah Technical College and had been trained in completing coding and billing. Despite her experience, she knew the gaps in her training and a lack of a higher degree kept her from advancement.\n\n“My online classes were much more in depth,” says Wanda. “It was much, much better, and everything fell into place for me as I learned the rules, laws and policies that explained the job I had been doing.”\n\nJanice’s participation in Wanda’s education did not end with her enrollment.\n\n“Janice still stayed on me with ‘How are your classes going?’ and ‘How did you do on that test?’”, says Wanda. “And I had to see her every day!” she laughs. Wanda admits it was kind of nice to have your own cheerleader at work.\n\nJanice was not her sole cheerleader in this journey. Her 18-year old daughter, Paris, and 9-year old son, Nicholas were constant with their encouragement in her studying and did a lot to help out at home.\n\n“Paris graduates from high school this year and plans to go to Culinary Arts College in Atlanta, so we got to be her guinea pigs at mealtime,” says Wanda. Wanda’s parents were excited for her success, as well, and helped out with the kids whenever they could.\n\nWith her family’s support, and the achievability of the program, Wanda found she could take on any subject.\n\n“I’ve never liked math,” she confesses. “But, with the videos that show you exactly how to do the problems, the ‘help me’ tabs, e-mails from teachers and other resources, I was like ‘Wow’, I can do math!”\n\nMath was not the only subject at which Wanda excelled. She both appeared on the Dean’s List 12 times and graduated with a 3.83 GPA, and she credits her success to her family.\n\n“I wanted to show them that you should always finish what you start,” she says. “They were all so happy when I got my degree,” says Wanda. “Just knowing my parents and children were proud of me is enough.”\n\nIt was not long after Wanda handed her degree to her supervisor that she found herself promoted to Team Leader and enjoying a nice salary bump. Her new responsibilities include supervision of 19 employees and fill in leadership in the absence of her supervisor.\n\nWanda is pleased with her degree, but she is hungry for another. She knows she will have Janice (and her own family) behind her, and finds herself taking on the role of cheerleader.\n\n“Now I’m motivating her, too, to pursue our Bachelor degrees together,” says Wanda.', 'The Power of One', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'the-power-of-one', '', '', '2013-05-22 11:02:50', '2013-05-22 18:02:50', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1299', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1305, 7, '2013-05-23 14:58:33', '2013-05-23 21:58:33', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Winners.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1306" alt="Winners" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Winners.jpg" width="346" height="206" /></a>Doubters and nay-sayers step aside. <a title="SJVC Temecula" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula">Temecula’</a>s <i>Pink Puffers </i>showed ‘em all how the new kids on the RT block can sweep up in competition. Last week our Temecula campus sent two teams of 3-students to the statewide Sputum Bowl conference in San Diego where they competed against 22 other teams – including <a title="SJVC Rancho Cucamonga" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cucamonga">SJVC Rancho Cucamonga’s </a><i>Premature Buzzers</i> – to bring home the championship win.\n\n“It is an amazing feat for a young <a title="Respiratory Therapy" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy">RT</a> program that has yet to have any graduates!” enthuses Robyn Whiles, Temecula Campus Director. “It says millions about the rigors and quality of our program.”\n\nThe Bowl’s Jeopardy-style rounds ask questions in varying degrees of difficulty about RT industry theories, disciplines and practices.  Two days and 10-hours of heated buzzer-slams resulted in intense playoffs among the four remaining teams: SJVC-Temecula vs. Mt. Sac and SJVC-Rancho Cucamonga vs. Crafton Hills. First-round playoffs saw Rancho Cucamonga and Mt. Sac slide away. Temecula’s <i>Pink Puffers </i>then threw down with the Crafton Hills’ <i>Peep of 4 </i>to bring home the win.\n\nThe winning <i>Puffers</i> Cheryl Stansbury, Alyssa Reber and Anthony Cocilova came in 3<sup>rd</sup> when they competed in the Regional competition in April (Rancho Cucamonga’s <i>Buzzers </i>came in 2<sup>nd</sup>). Their coach and SJVC faculty member, Shannon Cocilova, has been working with the determined team for several months in preparation to move through the competition and take the title.\n\nThe big finale to Respiratory Therapy’s Sputum Bowl Competition is looming. The nationwide competition will pit state winners against each other to take the national title. But, there is at least one more recently converted fan rooting for the <i>Puffers</i>. Rancho Cucamonga RT Program Director, Ricardo Guzman, weighs in with a message to Temecula Campus Director, Robyn Whiles: “Your young students showed heart and courage, and placed themselves on the RT map,” says Guzman. “And, they get to represent the entire state and all of SJVC at the National Competition in Anaheim in November.”\n\nRicardo Guzman’s comments reflect the pride we all take in the accomplishments of all three of our competing teams. Also from Temecula, the <i>Blue Bloaters</i>: Jig Paten, Ian Peterson, Brittany Rubiano, Desiree Trejo and Team Coach, Shannon Cocilova. And from Rancho Cucamonga, the <i>Premature Buzzers</i>: Weston Taylor, Anthony Covarrubias, Seth Winetrout, Christopher Shannon and Team Coach, Grey Benton.\n\nHaving won a seat at the National Competition, the <i>Pink Puffers </i>are back in training and dreaming about bringing home the Big Prize. They have lots of supporters. “Now everyone knows what we already knew,” says Guzman. “SJVC Temecula Rocks!”\n\nGuzman’s support does have its limits, however. “We are all very proud of you,” he says. “But watch out next year; we’re coming for you!”', 'New Respiratory Therapy Program Brings Home the Win', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'new-respiratory-therapy-program-brings-home-the-win', '', '', '2013-05-23 14:58:33', '2013-05-23 21:58:33', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1305', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1403, 7, '2013-05-29 15:02:52', '2013-05-29 22:02:52', '<p style="text-align: justify;">Gu<img class=" wp-image-1405 alignleft" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="Christian Phipps RESIZED" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Christian-Phipps-RESIZED.jpg" width="210" height="203" />lf War veteran, Christian Phipps, knows something about pain and loss. Repeated injuries to his back – including a T-bone collision with a car that ran a stop sign – along with many surgeries to various damaged vertebrae, have put him on the sideline of careers and life while he struggled to find his way back. He had high hopes in May, 2010 that the<a title="SJVC Bakersfield Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/bakersfield" target="_blank"> Bakersfield </a>Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting program would help him get there.</p>\nBut after just 10-months as a<a title="Medical Assistant " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical_assistant" target="_blank"> CAMA </a>student the stresses of his classes, reoccurring PTSD and back problems caused him to withdraw from the program and, for a time, become a full-time patient. Christian knew right away that although leaving school was necessary, it wasn’t the right move. “After a few months I humbled myself to the faculty and asked to be re-admitted,” says Christian. “I wanted to complete what I started and did everything they asked to show this time would be different.” His application was finally approved and his ‘start date’ was January 27th.\n\nOn January 26th Christian was assaulted, while riding his bike, and knocked unconscious. After a long night in the Emergency Room, he showed up for the first day of his afternoon program. “I told myself that as long as I’m here, can breathe and walk, and there are no visible signs of blood, nothing will keep me from obtaining my goal,” says Christian. “I had to work to get to get the OK to come back to school, and I appreciated this second chance.”\n\nChristian has focused his determination and commitment to another area important to him, as well. As an Army veteran, Christian is very aware of other veterans who are struggling to resume civilian life, find out about educational opportunities and settle in to a career. Christian wants to start a veteran’s resource service that will help those who are interested in continuing their education, and he is exploring starting such a Veteran’s Student Body Club on campus. “I’d like to reach out into the community to let vets know about what is available to them, such as the Veteran’s Rehabilitation Assistance Program (VRAP),” he says, which can provide education financial assistance for up to 12-months. Talks are underway with <a title="SJVC " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC</a> representatives.\n\nChristian sees his career future linked to the Veteran’s Healthcare Administration and a timeline that supports his vision. “With troops returning from Afghanistan in 2015 there will be a need for more professionals at every level to provide medical care and administrative support,” says Christian. He wants to help other veterans in any way he can. “Whatever department needs the most help is the direction I will go in,” he says. “It’s almost like I want to serve again,” says Christian. “By serving them, I am serving my country again.”\n\nThe life lesson isn’t missed on Christian’s 13-year old daughter, Kieran. “She is ‘Daddy’s Girl’ and the love of my life,” says Christian. “And, I know she is extremely happy for me.”\n\nLooking back on all they have had to endure to get to this point, Christian sees only the bright side. “What a great story this will be at my graduation.”', 'Veteran Fights to Finish what He Started ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'veteran-fights-to-finish-what-he-started-2', '', '', '2013-05-29 15:02:52', '2013-05-29 22:02:52', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1403', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1412, 7, '2013-05-29 15:16:55', '2013-05-29 22:16:55', '<strong><em><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1413" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="Allen LaHeist RESIZED" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Allen-LaHeist-RESIZED2.jpg" width="200" height="300" />“Mr. Allen LaHeist is one of the best teachers there (Temecula campus). He not only </em></strong><strong><em>teaches us from the book, but also teaches us life lessons. There is never a day that </em></strong><strong><em>we don’t learn something new. Our grades in class can prove his excellence in teaching.” </em></strong><strong><em>– Shannon Rorabaugh, student</em></strong>\n\nAllen LaHeist is one of those people who is meant to be a teacher. As an Independent Duty Hospital Corpsman – ‘combat medic’ – for 21-years, he has a lot of life experience to share. “I’m prior military, so I’m always teaching somebody something,” says LaHeist. And, the<a title="SJVC Temecula Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/temecula" target="_blank"> Temecula </a>campus was fortunate enough to get him on faculty and put him in front of knowledge-hungry students.\n\nAllen knows he is connecting with students from his Monthly Reviews. But nothing feels as good as real-time positive feedback. “Every time I walk down the hall somebody grabs me and says, ‘I wish you were still my teacher,’” he says.\n\nThat doesn’t mean that students haven’t struggled in his classes, which include <a title="Medical Assisting " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical_assistant" target="_blank">Medical Assisting</a>, <a title="Pharmacy Technology " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology" target="_blank">Pharmacy Technology </a>and Business Administration program curriculum. “No matter which class it is, I try to keep it as fun and interesting as possible,” says LaHeist. “No one learns much if it isn’t fun.”\n\nMost of his students come into their MA class with horror stories of a missed vein or huge bruises from previous blood draws and so “are a little phobic about drawing blood,” says Allen. “By the time they leave my class they are proficient at it and can stick anybody.”\n\nAllen employs a technique – a verbal drill – that drives his point home to students. “See one, do one, teach one.” First, the student watches, then performs the task, then shows someone else. “You don’t know it until you can teach it,” says LaHeist, who, with two Masters’ Degrees, knows something about learning methodologies from both ends of the spectrum.\n\nBut Allen saves his best advice for those hugely stressful times in students’ lives. Whether it is a struggle with memorization, exam anxiety, fear of blood or not getting an important subject concept, he reminds them to “just breathe”. “That’s what they forget to do,” he says. “If someone tells me they can’t do math, I say ‘relax, just breathe, and we’ll find another way to teach you.’” Not everyone learns in the same way, or has a teacher who understands that so well.', 'Teacher Student Connection ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '1412', '', '', '2013-05-29 15:16:55', '2013-05-29 22:16:55', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1412', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1429, 7, '2013-05-31 11:30:44', '2013-05-31 18:30:44', '<img class="alignleft  wp-image-1427" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" title="SJVC Fresno IT and Aviation Students Welding" alt="SJVC Fresno IT and Aviation Students Welding" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Fresno-IT-and-Aviation-Welding-and-Fabrication-REVISION.jpg" width="280" height="210" />Five IT students got to stretch their skills and program curriculum in a week-long stint at the Fresno Aviation campus in May. IT instructor Chris Barger arranged to have them use the<a title="SJVC Aviation Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-campus" target="_blank"> Aviation campus’ </a>welding lab to fabricate a 400 lb. metal table for their own IT lab.\n\nIt was great fun for the students, gave them some experience with welding techniques and provided a much-needed table for the IT program’s use for many years to come.\n\nBut, there was an even more important reason to break away from routine: “Employers, staffing agencies and Advisory Board members have been asking us to include welding and fabrication training into our<a title="SJVC Industrial Technology Program " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/industrial-technology" target="_blank"> Industrial Technology </a>curriculum for awhile,” says Barger. “It is technical experience that will make our graduates in even greater demand.”\n\nDuring the week spent at the Aviation program lab, IT students learned how to set up a welder, fabricate and weld mild steel and use a drill press, tap and dye set, sheet metal shear and break, as well as grind and use a chop saw. The result was a hefty metal structure painted industry-recognized ‘Tool Box Red’ and sporting an aluminum plate bolted to one of the legs with each of the students’ names stamp-punched as the table’s makers.\n\nDid we mention the table is sturdy? “We’ve put every industrial trainer that will fit on the table and it hasn’t budged,” says Barger. “We will get years of use out of it.”\n\n“The <a title="SJVC Fresno Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno" target="_blank">Fresno campus </a>IT program would like to thank the Aviation campus for their gracious welcome and for lending them access to their welding lab for this, the first of many opportunities to come,” says Will Cummings, Dean of Student Services.\n\nUndoubtedly a successful venture for his class into welding and fabrication, Chris Barger is already planning their next project.', 'Industrial Tech students go heavy metal ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'industrial-tech-students-go-heavy-metal', '', '', '2013-05-31 11:30:44', '2013-05-31 18:30:44', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1429', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1446, 8, '2013-06-04 11:02:18', '2013-06-04 18:02:18', '<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/VT-Acred-Photo-RESIZED.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1450" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="SJVC Veterinary Technician Students " src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/VT-Acred-Photo-RESIZED-300x200.jpg" width="240" height="160" /></a>\n\nThanks to the hard work and dedication of the Fresno Veterinary Technology (VT) faculty and staff, the VT program has received official accreditation status. This is a huge achievement for the campus and speaks volumes about SJVC’s commitment to offering quality educational opportunities to the local community.\n\nThe recent provisional accreditation adds quite a bit of value to the VT program an especially its students. The accreditation, effective January 18th, 2013, means students are eligible to take their Registered Veterinary Technician Exam (RVTE) straightaway upon completion of the 15-month program. In the case of a non-accredited school, graduates are required to serve 4,400 hours in the field before being permitted to take the exam.\n\nTaking the test immediately after completing the course allows graduates’ careers to progress in a more advanced manner. The California Veterinary Medical Board 2012 statistics state that students who take their RVTE soon after graduating have a pass rate of 80% while students with a prolonged time lapse or repeated exam dates have a 50% rate of passing.\n\n“This accreditation shows our students, industry professionals, and community what we have always known about the quality of our VT program,” says the VT program director, Erin Miracle.\n\nThis new status as an accredited program embodies the great potential of the VT program here at SJVC. Corporate Director of Program Compliance, Greg Osborn says, “This accreditation is both a reflection and endorsement of the quality of our overall VT program, staff and students”.\n\nOut of the 30 schools who have applied for VT accreditation over the past year, only 17 of them were granted approval-including SJVC- making SJVC’s VT program one of only 200 accredited VT programs across the entire nation.\n\n“Our students are bright, determined and fiercely proud of our program… and our instructors instill in our students the qualities that they need to be productive, independent technicians in a field we all care about very deeply,” says Miracle.\n\nAs one of the few outstanding VT programs available, SJVC’s VT program equips all of its students with the tools to do their very best in their future career. They are educated on all the ins-and-outs of animal patient care—from surgical procedures and testing to proper communication with pet owners. By completion of the program, students have evolved from pupils to soon-to-be-professionals with an immense passion for their very bright futures.', 'Congratulations to the Fresno VT program! ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'vet-techs-3-year-accreditation-voyage-has-ended', '', '', '2013-06-04 11:02:18', '2013-06-04 18:02:18', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1446', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1454, 7, '2013-06-05 10:13:35', '2013-06-05 17:13:35', '<img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1437" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="SJVC Online Student Mike Mattingly" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Mike-Mattingly-ORIGINAL-NO-RESIZE.jpg" width="200" height="200" />In 2008 Mike Mattingly and his wife Tabatha were enjoying the good life in Phoenix, AZ. Mike was earning a good salary working for a civil engineering firm with all the perks. Then, whoosh, it was gone. The economic crunch hit them hard.\n\nIt was a time when businesses were downsizing aggressively and Mike was caught up in the wave of layoffs. “I had a lot of experience and was very good at my job, but businesses were using a fine-tooth comb on employee qualifications and if you didn’t have a degree you were gone,” says Mike. He found the same situation in the months ahead, as he searched for work. “Employers are very specific about a degree,” he says. “They have a level of prestige they want to offer clients.” At 29 Mike knew he had to “get that piece of paper”.\n\nIn 2011, after a few years of struggle, Mike and Tabatha moved to Laguna Beach, CA where she went to work as a loan processor for a large bank and he got a full-time job as a concierge at a beach-side hotel. He enrolled in SJVC’s Construction Management<a title="SJVC Online Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/sjvc-online" target="_blank"> Online program </a>and buckled down. It was the right move.\n\nMike got lots of support from Tabatha who encouraged him to just “Do what you need to do,” to make it happen, and she would take care of everything else. Together for 13-years, “We just make good life partners,” says Mike. “As the primary financial provider, she basically allowed me to go back to school.”\n\nOnce he locked in to back-to-school mode Mike definitely made it happen, earning a 4.0 GPA throughout his 14-month program. He liked the fact that his instructors all worked in the <a title="SJVC Construction Management Program " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/construction-management" target="_blank">construction field</a>. “They would bring their real-life job issues to the classroom, so it wasn’t all textbook,” says Mike. He juggled work, school and home life, and this February Mike graduated at the top of his class.\n\nMike’s first official interview after graduation was for a Project Engineer position with a big construction management company of about 100-employees. When he got home he told Tabatha that he really felt good about the interview, and that the company said they would get back to him in a week or two. Mike turned on his computer and there was an offer letter from the company he’d just left. “We read it together and were elated,” says Mike, who “couldn’t wait to put in my 2-week’s notice at the hotel.”\n\nHis recent success in both his education and employment has spurred Mike to take it higher. “I’d like to get my Bachelor’s and get into the technical and design end of this business,” he says. But, for now, he is content with the rewards of his effort.\n\nHis first office job meant “I have my own desk and drawers, my own computer, my own stapler,” he joked. “I really got lucky with a great company; we are a good match with great chemistry,” he says. Something tells us that luck has very little to do with it.', 'Economic crunch forces big decisions ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'economic-crunch-forces-big-decisions', '', '', '2013-06-05 10:13:35', '2013-06-05 17:13:35', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1454', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1462, 7, '2013-06-11 09:44:02', '2013-06-11 16:44:02', '<img class="alignleft  wp-image-1464" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="Rebecca Freitag SJVC Pharmacy Tech Student " src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Rebecca-FreitagRESIZED.jpg" width="158" height="210" />Rebecca Freitag-Hunden’s 4-year olds, Alexxis and Alexander, were in school and her 17-year old daughter, Melissa, was in her last year of high school, so she thought this would be a good time to try something new. She told her husband, David, “I need to go to school and learn how to do something.”<a title="San Joaquin Valley College " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank"> SJVC’s </a><a title="SJVC Pharmacy Technolgoy Program " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/pharmacy-technology" target="_blank">Pharmacy Tech</a> program was just the ticket to break her 17-year stay-at-home-mom streak.\n\nRebecca’s excitement to begin again was short-lived when the realities of being a student kicked in. “They threw all this stuff at me,” says Rebecca. “It was like a foreign language to me.” She struggled hard, but began to fail classes. “My greatest obstacle was memorizing things…and overcoming my own stupidity!” she says.\n\nThe days passed slowly. “The more I went, the dumber I felt,” she confesses. David said what turned out to be the magic words: “Just try one more day.” “Three months later, I’m still here,” she laughs. “He’s a pretty amazing guy.” Life as a student has changed for Rebecca. “I went from Fs in my first ‘mod’ to As the last 2-months; so I’m pretty proud.”\n\nThe kids rallied around her too. Melissa became Rebecca’s drill instructor. “Missy showed me how to do PowerPoint and quizzes me every night on daily terminology,” she says. “She is a great kid and I am grateful she is my daughter.”\n\n“Alexxis always asks me, ‘Mommy, how was your school today; did you play on the playground?’” Alexander’s response is the most dramatic. “He runs to me every day when I get home,” says Rebecca. For Alex, that is a big reaction.\n\nAlexander is autistic and doesn’t usually have a big response to things. “Alex doesn’t give two hoots about people,” says Rebecca, who loves Alex’s little ‘welcome home’ acknowledgement. “He came to us when he was 7-months old and had been very neglected,” says Rebecca. “At 5-months, his diaper weighed more than he did.” Alex is sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds and doesn’t talk, except for an occasional word or two. “He says ‘awesome’ and ‘delicious’ and does his little hand-dancing game with his hands fluttering close to his face,” she says.\n\nThe Hesperia campus recently celebrated the world-wide ‘Light it Up Blue’ Shine a Light on Autism campaign to raise awareness of this neurological disorder. The campus lobby and other common areas were illuminated in blue, many students were dressed in blue and message boards contained blue bulletins is support of autism awareness. “I came to school and saw the building lit up in blue and just cried,” says Rebecca.\n\nNo matter what comes her way, Rebecca stays positive. “Every day I laugh and have a good time,” she says. When all the campuses competed in the ‘Harlem Shake’ Rebecca was right out there with other students, giving it all she’s got. “Missy always tells me, ‘YOLO, Mom, YOLO!’” You Only Live Once. Or as Rebecca says, “Every once in a while you gotta get out there and shake!”', 'Attitude makes all the difference ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'attitude-makes-all-the-difference', '', '', '2013-06-11 09:44:02', '2013-06-11 16:44:02', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1462', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1471, 7, '2013-06-18 08:45:07', '2013-06-18 15:45:07', '<img class="alignleft  wp-image-1472" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="SJVC Respiratory Therapy Student Dario Bobadillo " src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Dario-Bobadillo-RESIZED.jpg" width="280" height="210" />Dario Bobadilla knows rough road when he sees it. And three years ago life for Dario, his wife Danielle and their daughters Jasmine and Trinity was about to get bumpy. Their son Noah was born with Down Syndrome and a hole in his heart.\n\n“Everything kind of changed when our son was born,” says Dario. A month in NICU and constant doctors’ visits meant that someone had to be home and with Noah at all times. “Life threw us a curve ball,” says Dario. But that pitch only tightened their game.\n\nHaving worked as a Health Benefits Administrator and Fire Dept. EMS (EMT certified), Dario was already interested in the medical field. Noah’s medical and therapy needs gave Dario the push to go deeper. “Noah gave me the passion to be in the medical field in a way that allows me to better understand and be a part of his world,” he says. Dario enrolled in <a title="SJVC Rancho Cordova Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/rancho-cordova" target="_blank">Rancho Cordova’s </a><a title="Respiratory Therapy Program " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy" target="_blank">Respiratory Therapy program </a>when Noah was about 2-1/2 years old. “It touches me that I’ll be working in a field of cardio-pulmonary disease that affects his condition.”\n\nThe Bobadillas approach everything as a couple. “Danielle and I always try to look at the big picture,” says Dario. “We don’t have a lot right now and we budget to the last penny,” says Dario. “But we knew what we were going into.” They also knew the kind of partnership they could count on. “I honestly could not go to school and raise a family full-time without her,” says Dario. “Danielle is my biggest supporter and my best friend and without our team this could not be possible. Everyone in our family is part of our team, no one more important than the other.”\n\nSometimes it is almost too much. “Whenever we start feeling sorry for ourselves we always remember that there are others who have it worse than we do,” says Dario. “It could always be worse. Then, we just get up and do whatever it takes.”\n\nNow Dario is enjoying his externship two days a week at a local hospital. “My mouth is shut, my eyes are open and I am ready to learn,” he says. Dario started his real-world experience with the thought that “This is an 18-month interview,” he says. “My hope is that, when they are ready to hire, they will remember what I brought.”\n\nAs always, Dario has a plan after graduation: Get a job in the medical field; hone his skills as a therapist for 6-12 months; get into pediatrics or NICU. Five-years out: Become a Physician Assistant and work in Pediatrics or in an ER trauma center.\n\nNoah makes this future both plausible and personal for Dario. “Noah is showing so much promise – and he doesn’t like to fail,” says Dario. “He has rubbed off on us and made us kick it up a notch.”', 'Family’s strength makes everything possible', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'familys-strength-makes-everything-possible', '', '', '2013-06-18 08:45:07', '2013-06-18 15:45:07', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1471', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1476, 7, '2013-06-18 09:32:48', '2013-06-18 16:32:48', '<a title="SJVC Modesto Campus " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/modesto" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1477" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" title="SJVC Facebook Photo" alt="SJVC Facebook Photo" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Modesto-tshirt-sales-ORIGINAL.jpg" width="203" height="203" />Modesto</a>’s Associate Student Body (ASB) is working on something that has never been done on any SJVC campus: A Graduate Reunion!\n\nOn a recent Senior Management visit to the campus Mike Perry, CEO, mentioned the reunion idea and sparked the interest of ASB Advisor and Gen Ed instructor, Robin McCracken. Robin took it to an ASB meeting and all 15-members were on board to make it happen.\n\nWith over 2,200 graduates during the 9-years the campus has been in business, fundraising for this event will be a critical component of its success. Everything from food sales, dress-down days and flower sales at graduation are in the works to contribute to making this reunion something very special.\n\nIt is perfect timing for Modesto to be the campus that benefits from June’s motivational T-shirt sales. For every T-shirt sold, Modesto will get $1.00.\n\nThese <a title="San Joaquin Valley College " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC</a> tees are growing more popular among students every month and sales are going great. The t-shirts, with messages of commitment, inspiration, humor and insight are showing up on dress-down days and off-campus events. School pride is strong among so many, as they strive to balance school/home/work to complete their visions of educational success.\n\nEach month a different campus is selected to benefit from tees sold. Last month it was Hesperia’s Student Support Fund, and in July the Bakersfield campus will have a little extra money coming in to support the cause or event of their choice.\n\nEveryone can help the Modesto campus raise money for ASB’s Graduate Reunion. Browse the selections at https://wwwfacebook.com/sjvcs/app 515661228485859. T-shirts can be purchased for $6.00, using Paypal or a credit card on SJVC’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sjvcs. There is no charge for shipping if you pick up your purchase at your Career Services office; otherwise it is $4.00 to send it elsewhere. SJVC is selling the T-shirts to you at cost – plus a dollar donation to a fellow campus.\n\nAnd just think; if Modesto campus’s Grad Reunion is a huge success….your campus might throw one of your own!', 'Modesto will use T-shirt sales bump for a big idea!', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'modesto-will-use-t-shirt-sales-bump-for-a-big-idea', '', '', '2013-06-18 09:32:48', '2013-06-18 16:32:48', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1476', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1480, 8, '2013-06-18 10:11:30', '2013-06-18 17:11:30', '<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1481" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" title="Blue Cessna Plan Donated by SJVC of Aviation " alt="Blue Cessna Plan Donated by SJVC of Aviation " src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CAM-Blue-Cessna-RESIZED-300x225.jpg" width="271" height="216" />Committed to the core value of Community in our mission statement,<a title="Sam Joaquin Valley College " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank"> SJVC </a>has recently added recycling and reusing to the list of ways we serve the public, and in the best way possible.\n\nIn 2011, after several years of use SJVC donated a 1968  Blue Cessna 150 to the Castle Air Museum (CAM) in Atwater, California.\n\nThe Castle Air Museum is a non-profit organization where restored war planes from the Korean, Vietnam, and World Wars are on display to be enjoyed by the public.\n\n“The museum began in June of 1981… and today it is the largest air craft museum between Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon,” says Executive Director of CAM, Joe Pruzzo.\n\nThe plane was donated to SJVC’s<a title="SJVC of Aviation " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-campus" target="_blank"> aviation campus </a>by a privately owned organization and was used by aviation students for general training with airframes, patchwork, and interior repairs.\n\nAs the plane was thoroughly used by the aviation program in Fresno, it reached a state where it had seen much better days.\n\n“I am friends with Joe Pruzzo, CEO of the Castle Air Museum, and we were walking around the campus and I mentioned to him that we were probably going to scrap it for metal because it was falling apart, and he suggested that we donate it to the museum and make it kid friendly," explains aviation Campus Director Jack Macfarlane.\n\nOnce the fate of the Cessna was decided, it was disassembled by the aviation students and transported all the way to Atwater on a flatbed trailer.\n\nToday, the 1968  Blue Cessna 150 is fully restored, and children can explore the plane’s cockpit and experience what it would be like to fly it. Regarding the new state of the plane,\n\n“We are very proud of it,” Macfarlane proclaims.\n\nThe donation of this plane is not where community involvement stops for these aviation students.\n\n“We have already had a few past students who have donated their time at the museum to help restore aircraft there… I believe seeing us donate items to the museum and seeing items given to us to rework gives our students a sense that the <a title="Aviation Maintenance Technology at SJVC " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/aviation-maintenance-technology" target="_blank">Aviation Maintenance </a>community takes care of each other because we all have the same passion, working on airplanes,” says Jason Alves, the Academic Dean of Aviation.\n\nAlong with donating their time to work on the planes, many students are able to support the museum by attending their fundraisers. Some of which include the family friendly Labor Day Weekend Open Cockpit Day, and a musical concert at the Merced Theatre on August 3rd.\n\nAs Mr. Pruzzo and the Castle Air Museum are able to have parts and planes restored for display, our students are given hands-on experience and an easy way to get involved in the community.\n\n“We want to work collaboratively with the aviation students. The goal is to have students come up and work on the aircraft to earn some sort of credit,” states Pruzzo.\n\nWhen asked about the symbiotic relationship SJVC has with the great people at the Castle Air Museum Macfarlane says,\n\n“It is a wonderful relationship we have.”', 'Donation boosts involvement in local aviation community ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'donation-boosts-the-involvement-in-local-aviaton-community', '', '', '2013-06-18 10:11:30', '2013-06-18 17:11:30', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1480', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1492, 8, '2013-06-25 09:25:36', '2013-06-25 16:25:36', '<img class="alignleft  wp-image-1493" alt="Administrative Health Care Management Student Suzy Alva" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Suzy-Alva-RESIZED1-225x300.jpg" width="180" height="240" />“Just put your feet up to the edge, put your face in the wind and when you fall back down, keep remembering… Every storm runs out of rain." –Gary Allen, Country Singer/Songwriter\n\nGrowing up in El Paso, Texas Suzana Alva is a dedicated fan of country music. Life has presented Suzana with various challenges. Her fortitude has remained strong in the difficult times with her constant determination and encouragement from her favorite true blue lyrics. “Every Storm” by Gary Allen is her current favorite,\n\n“It really motivates me… I can really relate to it,” says Suzana about the country hit.\n\nResiding in Lancaster and working part time as an accounting clerk Suzy was anxious to begin her journey towards her longstanding dream,\n\n“I wanted to study Kinesiology. Because I had 6 surgeries on my knee in high school; I feel that PT is important. It’s not only a physical thing, but a mental and emotional thing as well."\n\nAs she began to develop a plan to achieve her long term goal of studying Kinesiology at Cal State Northridge, Suzy found her way to <a title="Courses at San Joaquin Valley College" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC</a>. Deciding to “start somewhere” Suzy enrolled in the Administrative Healthcare Management (AHCM) Program at SJVC Lancaster in December of 2012\n\nJust as Suzy enrolled she received heart breaking news from home. Her sister had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Without a second thought Suzy put her dream on hold, packed her bags, and made the journey back to El Paso to help her parents care for her sister. Sadly, Suzy’s sister passed away in March 2013. Following the passing of her sister Suzy says,\n\n“I took a month off, but then I told myself, ‘life has to continue and I need to pursue my education’."\n\nA time where most people would be discouraged, Suzy persevered. Suzy resumed her education with more determination and diligence than ever. Suzy’s advisor Crystal Monlina has nothing but sweet praises to sing of her,\n\n“Susana is the type of person who when they are up against a struggle, she meets it squarely face to face. Everyday has been hard for her since her sister’s death, but she still keeps going.”\n\nAll of Suzy’s hard work through this trying time has molded her into the hard worker she is today. This new perspective has given Suzy an assurance of her future. She says,\n\n“In my heart I know this is what I was brought here on Earth to do; help people with these problems- not only mentally but physically."', 'Pursuit of destiny in the wake of a tragedy ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', '1492', '', '', '2013-06-25 09:25:36', '2013-06-25 16:25:36', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1492', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(1499, 8, '2013-06-26 10:16:57', '2013-06-26 17:16:57', '<em><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1500" style="margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; border: black 1px solid;" alt="SJVC Criminal Justice Instructor Michael Stewart " src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Michael-Stewart-RESIZED-225x300.jpg" width="180" height="240" />“There are so many things I could say about Mr. Stewart, but he is honestly one of the greatest instructors and people I have had the pleasure of knowing in my life.” –Cadet Raven James</em>\n\nIt can be said that passion for your career is key to leading a happy and successful life. Michael Stewart, a <a title="Criminal Justice Program at SJVC " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/criminal-justice-corrections" target="_blank">criminal justice</a> instructor at SJVC Hesperia, lives and breathes this motto.\n\nJoining the <a title="San Joaquin Valley College " href="http://www.sjvc.edu/" target="_blank">SJVC </a>Hesperia staff three and half years ago, Michael has become, in the eyes of many of his students, a dream instructor. His teaching extends far beyond the world of law enforcement, providing excellent lessons applicable to daily life.\n\nI can’t lie… I enjoy it quite a bit. I enjoy teaching the young. The staff and I are trying to mold the people for the career that we love,” Stewart says.\n\nIn his free time, Michael likes to relax and fish. However, since he is a guy who loves to stay busy, his plate is always full. When he isn’t spending time with kids, he is mentoring youth in his game room at home, or co-coaching the Victor Valley College women’s basketball team with his wife. As a former professional basketball player in Portugal, Spain, Michael has a lot to offer the young ladies on his team.\n\nWatching his children’s success has provided him with a lot of inspiration. Much of Michael’s daily motivation comes from seeing his son, who is missing 3 fingers, defy many social and athletic boundaries.\n\nMichael’s interest in law enforcement came from watching crime shows like COPS, and his draw to education stemmed from the negative choices he could see many of today’s youth making. When discussing younger generations he says,\n\n“I felt a need to get involved… I’ve been involved quite a bit in the mentality of speaking to the youth. Because some elder people come from an old-fashioned place, it’s not always implemented in the most effective way, but the old school can be implemented if you have the right people to guide them.”\n\nHe continuously preaches the importance of punctuality and communication to his students. In doing this, Michael hopes to help his students establish a good work ethic. He also likes to keep his students on their toes because, once his students go into the law enforcement field, they will need to be ready to face unanticipated circumstances.\n\nMichael has a mantra he preaches to his students to use both in school and in their future careers: “Fair, firm, and consistent.”\n\n“If you can go by that in law enforcement, you will have an excellent career,” Michael says.\n\nMichael has invested much of his time and effort in his students and players to help them work toward a bright future. It is easily said that his stern, caring, and hardworking character has enabled him to impact the lives of many so far, and will only empower him to continue to do so in the future.', 'A heart for law enforcement ', '', 'private', 'closed', 'open', '', 'a-heart-for-law-enforcement', '', '', '2013-06-26 10:16:57', '2013-06-26 17:16:57', '', 0, 'http://news.sjvc.edu/?p=1499', 0, 'post', '', 0);
